Just Something That Happens
by ElisiansBane
Summary: Ed thought he could handle his wife's temper. It wasn't that big a deal. It's just how she is. It's just something that happens. AU/Dark. Warning: verbal and physical abuse, language. This is not for ExW fans. Please take the warnings seriously.
1. Chapter 1

Just Something That Happens

Summary: Ed thought that he could handle his wife's temper. It wasn't that big a deal. It's just how she is. It's just something that happens.

Warnings: verbal and physical abuse, swearing, child endangerment. This is a Dark AU of Ed and Winry's relationship that ExW fans may dislike and not agree with. Please take the warnings seriously.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Ed chanted that single word over and over again while trying not to burst into a panicked sprint back to his house. He hadn't meant to lose track of time. He was just so happy to have a moment to himself and catch up with an old friend. He should've known better. He should've just turned Mustang down and made an excuse not to go out for drinks.

Mustang showed up for a surprise visit at the farm Ed worked at. It was one of a string of farmhand jobs he was able to scratch together. Now that harvest season was in full swing, he had no issue finding farmers that needed a day laborer. For the time being, he had a steady income and could feel like he was somewhat being a good provider for his wife and children. At the end of a backbreaking day, Mustang showed up to check in. He was on assignment and passing through the Resembool area and thought to stop by. Ed hadn't seen Colonel Bastard in years so it was a welcome change from the drudge. After a long chat catching up, Mustang invited him to the tiny local bar for dinner and drinks and Ed just couldn't say no. Anything to keep him from going home just a little longer.

Ed swore when he checked his watch and it was 8:30pm. He was under strict orders to be at home no later than 8pm, unless he was given permission. Even being just a few minutes late invited the wrath of his wife followed by a harsh punishment. But seeing his old friend and pseudo-big brother was just too much of a temptation. It had been so long since he felt safe and calm in another's presence. Now he would pay for it.

He slowed to a stop when he was in sight of his home. His lungs burned. His left knee ached and gave him an uneven walk. He struggled to catch his breath. After years of being stabbed, beaten, punched, and cheating death, his stamina was nowhere near what it used to be. Running for any length of time left him heaving, when before he could go for miles without a hitch. That, and the anxiety of entering his own home didn't help. He could see the lights on in the windows. He fought the instinct to just take off and run like a pussy. But everyone in the small country town knew who he was and who his wife was. There was nowhere to hide.

He fiddled with his jean pocket nervously. His fingers shuffled the keys. The faint jingling noise kept him grounded. He kept looking at his home and then looking back down the road. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to resist his desire to hide somewhere. But he would be found. She would find him.

This was so fucked up. He shouldn't be scared to enter his own home. He shouldn't be busting his ass to get home to avoid being smacked in the face. He had suffered worse in the battlefield. But there was just something about his marriage that left him feeling weak and helpless. It was a reminder of how much of a failure he was as a man, a husband, and a father.

With heavy feet, he trudged up to the door. The lights in the living room were on, the kitchen lights were off. He slowly grasped the handle and stopped, listening for any movement, anticipating what would happen next. All was silent. Maybe she'd gone to bed already. He almost laughed at himself. She wouldn't go to bed until Ed was home and put in his place.

He sighed in resignation. Better to just get it over with. Hopefully, the kids were already in bed and they wouldn't' have to witness their parents fight. They didn't need to suffer for his shortcomings.

The creak of the door was the only sound as Ed stepped in. It was quiet - too quiet. He was on edge.

"Hey, Winry? Babe?" He cautiously called out. Maybe a term of endearment would keep her calm. "Sweetheart? I'm sorry I'm la-"

He didn't finish his sentence before a wrench slammed into the back of his head and he stumbled forward. His ears rang and he barely caught himself from falling flat on his face. He turned around with a swear. Damn, he was losing his sharp senses. She was hiding behind the door and swung the wrench as soon as he cleared the doorway.

"And just where the fuck were you?" She snarled, swinging the wrench at her side. "It's very important that you get home by 8pm. Do you know what time it is now?"

Ed shrunk back from his wife, still disoriented. "I don't know, Win...I lost track of time. It was a mistake…"

"It's fucking 8:45!" She yelled, pointing the wrench at him threateningly. "Who were you with?"

Edward stammered, trying to come up with some kind of excuse. "I-I...Mr. Johnson needed me to work late. The combine was acting up, so he wanted me to help fix it. He'd pay extra so-"

She stalked up to him, eyes narrow and cold. "Why didn't you call first?"

Ed shrunk back. "I..I forgot. I'm really sorry, babe. The nearest phone was a fifteen minute walk and it had to get done and-"

"Lying bastard!" She screeched, swinging the wrench. The end clipped Ed's forehead when he barely dodged it.

"Winry, what the hell? I'm not that late!" Ed shouted. He assumed his standard combat stance, but hesitated. He was taught to never hit a woman. No matter what. Husbands didn't hit their wives.

"I told you to be home by 8pm!" She growled. "It's hard enough raising these kids and working full time without your deadbeat ass getting in the way. The least you can do is get home on time, so I can do my paperwork!"

Ed winced. Because of job demands, Winry had to do her invoices and other paperwork after hours. Thus, it was Edward's job to make dinner and put the kids to bed. Not being there meant Winry had to stay up late and she really needed her sleep or she would be even moodier the next day. The least he could do was help his wife with the housework and child-rearing.

"Winry," he tried to reason. "I didn't mean to. I was trying to work. I made extra this time. It's enough to...to pay a couple of bills."

Her eyebrow twitched. "For how long? A month? Or until you find your next dead-end job?"

"I told you I had a job lined up after the harvest season!" Ed protested. "It pays a lot more than being a farmhand, I promise!"

"Uh-huh!" She rolled her eyes. "Working at the train station? Everyone's going to see the oh-so-amazing Fullmetal Alchemist handing out train tickets to tourists! I don't need you embarrassing me like that!"

Ed backed further into the hallway. That hit a sore spot. Without his alchemy, Ed was just another uneducated country boy.

Winry pointed to the living room with her wrench. "You're on the couch! I don't want to see your useless ass tonight. I should've found myself a real man instead of waiting my whole life for a total loser!"

Completely distraught, Ed dragged himself into the living room. He was so distracted by his melancholy that he stupidly didn't watch himself. He realized his mistake when Winry made one last hit to the back of his neck. This time, he didn't catch himself and fell to his knees with a pained curse. He continued to swear as Winry rained down hit after hit, leaving him disoriented and in pain from each hit to his head. When she finally relented, he had a quickly swelling black eye and a split lip.

"That's a reminder to get your ass home on time!" Winry sneered. She spun on her heel and stomped upstairs, leaving Ed crouched on the floor like a kicked dog.

The next morning, Ed woke with a groan. His face was wet from the melted ice pack and he couldn't feel his lower lip. He tried to sit up and almost fell over when his vision blurred. His joints cracked from sleeping on the couch in an awkward position. After a couple of tries, he was able to stand up. When he got his wits about him, he smelled bacon coming from the kitchen and the sounds of his daughter chirping away as she helped Mommy make breakfast.

He dazedly wandered into the kitchen. Winry didn't like it if he failed to show himself first thing in the morning.

He looked at the table. All his favorite breakfast foods were laid out on the table. Grits, fried potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, eggs, and bacon. It smelled great and he couldn't help but feel hungry at the spread. This was a very good sign that he was forgiven. He walked in with a sigh, stopping to lovingly ruffle his infant son's downy hair. The baby just cooed and continued to gnaw on his teething biscuit.

His little girl, Trisha, was the first to notice him. "Daddy!" She cheered and hopped down from the stool where she was helping her mother stir the grits. "Good morning!"

Ed couldn't help but smile when his baby girl crashed into his legs and gave him a big hug. She stood up on her toes with her lips puckered. "Kissy!" she demanded.

He bent down to give his daughter a kiss. It was their morning ritual started when Ed left to find work. It was Trisha's idea as she noticed her father came home with bruises a lot "from work," so the kiss was for good luck.

Ed gently crouched down to let her place a kiss on his chin and he returned the kiss on her forehead. He took a moment to run his hand through her messy hair - same blonde color as his own. She looked up at him with a huge grin. Her smile died though when she saw his face. "Daddy? What happened to your face?"

Edward froze and glanced nervously up at his wife. He didn't miss the warning look and immediately fell back on his usual story. "Daddy's alright, sweetie. There was an accident at work and I got a little bruised up. But everything is alright."

A little hand cupped his chin. Giant golden eyes looked up with concern. "Why are you always getting hurt?" She frowned. "I keep telling you to be careful! That's what the kisses are for."

"You're father is a klutz," Winry jumped in as she set the grits on the table. She gave Trisha a playful wink. "You know how Daddy is. He doesn't have you to make sure he doesn't fall!"

Trisha perked up. "Yup!" she turned back to Edward with a grin. "Daddy, I should work with you and make sure nothing happens to you!"

"I'd love that, sweetie," Edward smiled warmly at the only real joy in his life. "But you need to go to school."

His little princess pouted. "School is boring."

"I know," he said. "But you still need to go."

Trisha nodded grudgingly, but returned her attention to her father's condition. "Can I kiss it better?" she gently touched his swollen lip.

"Of course, baby," Edward smiled. "It won't heal if you don't."

She took his face in her hands and placed a very gentle kiss on his lip. "There! Now it'll get better faster."

"Better than any medicine," he grinned. "Now let's eat before the food gets cold."

Breakfast was pleasant. Edward and Winry chatted with each other and exchanged endearments as if last night never happened and all was well for the time being. Despite this, Edward remained tense as he didn't know what would happen when Trisha went to school and Maes was put down for his mid-morning nap.

Edward gathered the dishes while Winry took their daughter to get ready for school. By the time they returned, Edward was drying the dishes and preparing his daughter's lunch. With a smile, he took his daughter's hand and they left for school while his wife cared for the baby.

The sound of Trisha's non-stop chit chatting brought Edward a sense of calm. Her innocence and happy-go-lucky nature made him relax and enjoy being a father. Walking his daughter to school was the ex-alchemist's favorite chore. He got to bond with his little girl and feel like someone loved him. Her stories about school and the other kids brought him happiness. He never had many friends as he and Alphonse kept to themselves on their journey, so it was of great importance that he ensure Trisha had many friends and enjoyed her childhood as much as possible.

"Daddy...why were you and Mommy fighting last night?"

Ed was watching the fields as they walked by and the innocent question caught him off guard. "What fight?"

"I heard yelling last night," she looked up at him worriedly. "You were fighting again."

"It's okay, baby," Ed quickly tried to comfort her. "Mommies and Daddies fight sometimes, but they always make up. Mommy and I were getting along at breakfast remember?"

Trisha looked back down the road thoughtfully. "Yeah…"

Ed frowned, Trisha didn't go back to her chipper conversation. She just stared down the pathway to her tiny school. "What's wrong, Trisha? You can tell me."

His daughter thought for a moment before turning to look at her father. "I don't like it." Her eyes began to tear up. "I don't like it when you fight and call each other names! It's - It's scary!"

"Oh, sweetheart..." Ed immediately stopped and gathered his crying daughter into his arms. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to scare you like that. I know it's frightening. It's just something that happens. It's not the end of the world."

Trisha buried her face in his neck. "I still don't like it! I don't want you to hate each other!"

"I know, Princess. I know," Ed shushed. "I don't like it either."

Trisha went quiet and wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders. Ed kissed the top of her head and carried her the rest of the way to school.

This was what he feared. The last thing he wanted was for his children to get caught up in the damned mess he and Winry created. They suffered the most when their parents fought. One time, it got so bad that Trisha ran away to Granny Pinako's house sobbing hysterically that Mommy and Daddy were hitting each other. This got both of them a stern talking to by Pinako and a threat to Ed that if he laid a hand on his wife again, Pinako would make sure "his ass was in jail."

Ed didn't mention that the reason he "hit" his wife was because she came at him with a carving knife and he didn't want to lose his right eye. He couldn't remember what started the fight, but he probably deserved it anyway.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Even as a teen, Ed knew he would marry Winry.

It made sense. They were childhood sweethearts growing up together. His mother often joked that she was already planning their wedding because it was obvious that they would get together someday. It was a running joke among their neighbors that Ed and Winry should just go ahead and get married at ten years old because it was so inevitable that they were meant for each other, so why not just get to the chase?

When he was undergoing physical therapy after getting his automail, Winry was there helping him along the way. She was there to hold and comfort him after the very painful exercises. She stood up for him when the strict therapist tried to make him run when he still felt to weak to try. She told the man to shove off and let him rest. She immediately turned back to him and said "Don't worry. I'm here for you."

She was. She really was. During their journey, Al and Ed knew they always had a home to return to with Winry and Pinako. Ed never had to worry about his automail being broken or wearing out because he only had to make a single call or telegram and she would be there the next day. It didn't matter where they were, she always came. Her smile, humor, and feisty personality were the among the few things that could make Ed genuinely smile. He found her short temper to be cute and took her aggressive nature as a joke, because women were so emotional - that's what all the men said. He got that idea from Mustang when he walked into the office one day and the colonel saw the red bump on his forehead.

Mustang just shook his head with a teasing smirk. "Women, am I right?"

Ed just shrugged with a quiet chuckle. He was a trained fighter and a state alchemist, he could take a hit from a petite little girl once in a while. No worries. He had suffered worse. He figured it was his fault because his own fiery temper often invited her aggressive behavior. He guessed he would never learn when to shut up.

Winry was the only girl who showed any romantic interest in him. Because of his obsessive focus on returning Al's body, Edward was technically asexual during his teen years. Sex and romance had no appeal as they didn't help him get his little brother's body back. Such things were a distraction. It's not like he even had time though, since they were getting attacked left and right by enemies. He doubted any girl would be okay with the idea of accidentally being killed in the line of fire because they picked the wrong location for date night. His automail was a problem too. Though automail was well known, it still got unwanted stares from strangers. It was the main reason Ed insisted on wearing his coat and gloves, even in warm weather, because he just didn't want to deal with the unwanted attention. He didn't want reminders of how deformed his body was.

Winry was his first everything. First love, first kiss, first sex, first relationship - everything. He didn't bother to date anyone else. Winry knew him and was one of the few people who didn't betray him or his brother. Winry didn't blink when she saw the impressive collection of scars across his entire body or when he moved his automail limbs. She didn't notice the clinks and creaks when he tested them out after a tune up. She didn't flinch when she fixed his limbs and certainly didn't flinch when they made love. She made him feel desirable. Attractive.

She was the obvious choice. A good choice. He didn't know of any others who would want him as he was with all his physical and emotional baggage. There was no one else he could see himself marrying. So he didn't hesitate when he asked her to marry him after only four months of official courtship.

Everything was paradise in the beginning. They laughed, bickered, and cuddled like any other couple. They made their little house into a home. He helped Winry in her automail shop, cleaning and organizing the equipment while dealing with customers. He could get used to this. He didn't mind being his wife's assistant. It was relaxing and such a welcome change from his life of violence and chaos.

But things started to change. When Winry found out she was pregnant with their first child, it was great and there was much celebration. But as the pregnancy went on, Winry made more and more demands of Ed. He had to be home be certain time, do the housework, rub her feet, cook all the meals, and anything else she needed. It was okay at first, Ed wanted to keep her and the baby as healthy as possible. But with Winry out of commission, money was tight and they struggled to pay for doctor's visits while keeping a roof over their heads.

That's when Winry started to show a darker side. Without his alchemy, Ed lacked any marketable skills. He found it difficult to find any work other than day labor as he never finished high school. It didn't matter that he was once the Alchemist of the People or could do complex algorithms in his head. Without the formal education or documents to prove it, employers didn't want to take the risk. There was also the issue of the Promised Day causing trillions of dollars in property damage with several hundred people reported homeless, missing, or dead. This ruined the public image of alchemy and many employers felt that Ed was a liability to their business.

Mustang tried to help. He offered Ed the opportunity to re-enlist in the military. But Edward never wanted to see the military again. There were too many traumatic memories and hardships that he couldn't just ignore. Winry didn't want him back in the field either as she feared she would become a widow at a young age and left to raise their children alone. At the time, Winry's automail business was booming, ironically thanks to the thousands of injuries caused by the Promised Day, so money wasn't too much of a problem. So Ed decided to stay at home and find work in his hometown.

Once again, his cockiness got the best of him. A teenage boy wouldn't know anything of managing salary and finances. Ed blindly spent all his income on caring for Al and purchasing expensive first edition alchemy books. As long as the check cleared, he didn't bother. He didn't think of things like savings or insurance. His hospital bills alone would have supported a third world country. He regarded it with a shrug, the military paid for it.

But Winry spent her entire life managing a business. Because of this, she was the sole manager of their finances. Any money Ed made went to their shared accounts and no purchases could be made without Winry's knowledge, and in most cases her permission. She monitored their finances meticulously so any unusual purchases were immediately detected and Ed had to account for himself. He wasn't allowed to buy anything without Winry's approval as she didn't want him spending their limited funds on alchemy books.

He learned this the hard way when he casually bought a rare alchemy book and she saw the transaction on their bank statement. This invited a huge screaming match where Winry called him a 'has-been' and he was being an idiot to even think he would waste her money trying to get back his alchemy.

"You gave up your alchemy," she snarled. "Get over it! You're always trying to get something you can't ever have! You need to get over your wanderlust and be a damn man! It's over. Your alchemy is gone. Grow up!" Her eyes narrowed coldly. "Before you ruin someone else's life - as usual."

Before he ruined someone else's life. That was the running theme in Ed's life. His actions always caused someone else undeserved pain - Al, Nina, Maes, Mustang, the list went on. All because he was never satisfied and always had to have his way. It didn't matter if his heart was in the right place. Someone else always paid for his failure. Winry was right. So without a further word, Ed returned the book and Winry was happy when the credit returned to their bank account. Ed never bought another alchemy book. It would only bring more pain.

Even now, he couldn't bring himself to ask Al for help. If anyone had their life ruined because of him, it was his precious brother. Al was in Xing studying alkahestry with his girlfriend, Mei. From Al's monthly letters, Ed knew his brother was happy and successful. Al finally had the life he deserved. Al was finally getting to live his life as a normal young man should. He didn't need Ed glued to his side. Al needed to strike out on his own for once. If Ed gave the slightest indication that something was wrong, his devoted brother would drop everything and come to help him. Ed couldn't have that. He couldn't be a burden to Al anymore. His little brother was better off without him.

Ed was broken from his reminiscing when he approached the door to their home. For the time being, Trisha wouldn't have to witness what a mess her parents were. He slowly walked in and readied himself.

"Ed!" Winry came from the kitchen. Ed paused, instead of anger, he saw shame. He stiffly held her when she fell into his arms with quiet sobs. He automatically rubbed her hair and tried to comfort her. She only held him tighter, mumbling 'I'm sorry' over and over again.

She finally pulled away to look at him with beautiful blue eyes red with tears. "Oh Ed! I'm so sorry I lost my temper last night! I didn't mean to hit you that bad! I was just...just so upset and worried because you were late and I thought you were getting drunk at a bar. So I just jumped to conclusions and - can you ever forgive me?"

"Y-yeah," Ed whispered. Winry lean forward to peck his lips. "It's alright, Win. I shouldn't have been late. I know it worries you."

She sniffed. "It does. With all we've been through, I can't help but get erratic when you're not around. I'm afraid you've left to pursue that stupid alchemy when you're needed here." **  
**

"I would never do that." It was true. Ed would never walk out on his wife and children. He would never repeat his own father's selfish mistakes. Even if it cost him his sanity. He knew the emotional and mental impact of his bitterness and hatred he had towards his absent father. It would break him should Trisha and Maes ever feel that way about him. No matter what happened to him and Winry, he would never abandon his children.

She cupped his face in her hands o give him a warm, gentle kiss - careful not to irritate the swelling. Ed soaked it right up. He finally started to relax.

"I can't stop it," she whispered against his lips. Ed shuddered. He loved the feel of WInry's full lips on his own. He loved the affection. "When you don't do what I ask, it makes me so upset because I worry."

"You never have to worry, Win," Ed whispered, sighing when she placed little kisses along his jaw. "I promise to be more considerate next time."

She stepped away with a sweet smile. "Oh, Edward. I love you so much!" She paused, looking at his black eye and swollen lips as if she just noticed they were there. "Oh god! I'm sorry. I got carried away."

Ed gently pressed his finger to his lip. Yeah, it still hurt, but not as much s before. He could handle it. "Don't worry. Just something that happened."

Her eyes became hooded, sultry. They captured Ed's gaze. Winry had the most beautiful blue eyes. Perfectly pristine, sapphire blue that shone in the sun. He could look into those eyes for hours alone. Winry slowly ran her hands up Ed's chest and his shoulders, smirking when he leaned into her touch. "Why don't I get some ice for you?" She kissed him deeper this time. Ed didn't mind the soreness. "And then I'll show you how much I really love you. My handsome Fullmetal Alchemist," she purred. She took his hand to lead him to the kitchen and then to their bedroom.

Like every time before, he fell right into it. He couldn't help it. Ed didn't know how touch-starved he was until his journey was over and he had to adjust to a normal life. Winry's touches kept him ground in reality, they kept the post-traumatic nightmares at bay. Her arms around him at night brought him the security and affection he had missed so much during his teen years. Her kisses made him feel wanted. When Winry was like this, everything was perfect. This was his Winry. The Winry he married.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey...Mr. Johnson?"

His current employer straightened up with a groan. "What's up?"

Ed paused and set down the wrench on the combine. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "So...how do you handle fights with your wife?"

Mr. Johnson frowned in confusion. "Whatcha mean?"

"Like….when your wife's acting crazy...how do you calm her down?" It wasn't the best way he could have worded it, but Ed wanted to sound casual.

Mr. Johnson paused, and then broke out into a deep laugh. "How I calm her down? I keep my damn mouth shut! She's got a nasty temper and the mouth to go with it. If I want peace, I let her whine and carry on on until she wears herself out!"

Ed smiled stiffly. Mr. Johnson was a long-time friend of Pinako. He didn't hesitate when Ed came to him asking for work. Mr. Johnson was an elderly man who owned one of the largest farms in Risembool. Ed and Al used to play with his kids back in the day. He welcomed Ed and Al with open arms and always made it a point to stop by during one of their rare visits. He was one of the guests at Ed and Winry's wedding. Ed remembered watching him get into a drinking contest with Roy and Havoc when they got into a debate about Risembool's famous vodka. It ended as expected, Mr. Johnson drank Roy and Havoc under the table and could still handle a few more shots. It was one of the funniest things Ed ever saw and solidified his wedding as one of the happiest days of his life. Watching his friends and family celebrate his marriage, hearing their well-wishes and joy gave Ed the feeling of warmth and family he never had.

"What the matter? The little wife giving you trouble?" Mr. Johnson smiled, returning to work.

"A little bit," Ed chuckled quietly, shifting. "We've been...bickering a lot. I'm not sure what to do."

"Well you know how it is!" Mr. Johnson grinned with a shrug. "Us guys gotta learn our place. Anything to keep the peace. Just say 'yes, honey' and let it go. Part of being a man."

"Yeah...I guess…" Ed mumbled and returned to his work. Saying 'yes, honey' was one of the few ways to avoid a verbal and physical beating - but even that wasn't always effective.

The sun set as Ed wearily walked home. His day went by smoothly enough. He wasn't sure what he wanted when he asked Mr. Johnson about handling arguments with his wife. Maybe, it was because Mr. Johnson married his wife when they were only eighteen and appeared to truly love each other just as intently as they were the day they married. Sure, Ed had seen them bicker, but it was barely more than light-hearted banter and hardly meant to do real harm. They interacted with the intimacy and love that only years of being together could bring. It was what Ed wanted for his own marriage - what he expected.

Maybe...maybe he just wanted to know he wasn't the only one.

Maybe it was his fault... Ed could say no or easily overpower Winry when their fights became aggressive. But he didn't. It wasn't fair. It was wrong to do any physical harm to his wife. He didn't want that guilt and he didn't want his daughter to think it was okay for a man to lay hands on a woman. But it didn't mean he had to take it. There had to be another way.

But...it was ridiculous. He shouldn't go crawling to some shelter or call the cops. They wouldn't believe him. What kind of pansy was so scared of his wife that he would go running to a women's shelter? The idea was so stupid. He was the former Fullmetal Alchemist, goddamnit! He could handle worse than a wrench to the head!

He came up to the door of his house. He paused when he heard voices laughing in the kitchen. He recognized Mustang's boisterous laughter accented by Winry's giggles.

His stomach sank. Everything suddenly felt cold. He never told Winry about Mustang's visit - he lied to her about it. If Mustang unknowingly blew his cover…

"Who's at the door?" He heard Mustang approach the door. The handle swung out of his hand and Ed looked up at his former superior.

"Hey, look who it is!" Mustang said with his classic smirk. "We were just talking about you."

It took Ed a moment to get his wits about him. "Oh hey, Mustang...when did you get here?"

"I was on my back to Central and thought I'd stop by again to say hello." Mustang said easily, stepping aside to let Ed enter the house. "I was just telling your wife about our chat a couple of weeks ago. It seems domestic life has finally calmed you down. She was telling me what a total softie you are for Trisha."

The thought of his daughter eased Ed up a little bit. "Oh yeah...total daddy's little princess."

"Ah...I feel sorry for any boy who tries to woo her," Mustang joked, following behind Ed into the kitchen where Winry sat at the table with a coffee mug.

"Yes…" Ed mumbled. It didn't matter what a fuck up he was, he would kill any bastard that touched his daughter.

"How was work?" Winry's voice sounded casual and welcoming, but Ed knew the difference. It was a ruse. He saw the flash of anger when he entered the kitchen. He tried to dissipate the tension by giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek. Winry accepted it with a hum, but he caught the vengeful spark in her eyes when he pulled away. He was in deep shit right now.

"How was work, dear?" Winry asked sweetly - far too sweetly.

"It was fine. Mr. Johnson is a total talkatron, but it helped the time go faster," Ed shrugged as casually as possible. He went to fix himself some tea. Anything to hide the shaking in his hands.

"Winry was telling me you take on a lot of odd jobs around the town." Mustang settled back into his seat at the table. "That's a shame...Surely, you could find better work?"

"I've tried…" Ed sighed as he took his own seat. "But Risembool's changing. All the work is in the bigger cities. Most of our friends have moved out."

Mustang frowned. "Well...have you thought of moving too? You might find better opportunities for yourself in the bigger cities."

It wasn't like Ed hadn't thought of that. He really wanted to move back into the cities. Not Central - never Central, but maybe one of the smaller cities. Technological advances made several cities across the country into major industrial economies. Ed was fairly sure his knowledge of chemical composition and familiarity with material construction could land him a better, steady job.

"Hell, no!" Winry broke Ed from his thoughts.

Mustang lifted a brow in disbelief. "Why not?"

"Ed is staying here," Winry was firm. "We've had enough of that. Ed doesn't need to get himself into more trouble. Being too close to places like Central will just be too much of a temptation. He'll try to get his hands on alchemy again."

Ed flinched. It would be a lie to say he wasn't secretly trying to find a way to restore his alchemy. He couldn't help it. It was his lifeblood. It was his passion. He genuinely loved alchemy, its theories, it's transmutations, and watching it evolve over time with new ideas and applications. Even now, when everything was quiet and he had a rare moment to himself, he would sit and draw transmutation circles. They were theoretical in nature and variations of circles he had seen before. Even if he couldn't use them, just drawing them gave him a sense of hope. It meant he hadn't entirely given up what he loved.

Maybe if he got a teaching job…

"What if you taught, Fullmetal?" Mustang mirrored Ed's thoughts. "Your accomplishments are well known and admired. Many new recruits think of you as their spirit animal." Mustang snorted at that last comment. "If only they knew…"

"Seriously," Winry took a sip from her cup. "Like Ed would have the patience to teach. He can barely teach himself a damn thing. Anything that's not alchemy blows right over his head." She turned to Ed with a teasing smile. "How long did it take you to learn how a combine works? Let alone how to fix it. He's barely useful as a farmhand."

Mustang must have noticed Ed's downcast gaze. "Well, we can't be geniuses at everything," he said democratically. "I still can't cook, and I'm a general. It's normal."

Winry gestured towards her husband. "If you can get him to believe that, then maybe we'd get somewhere. If he's not perfect the first time, he walks away like it's wasting his time. Ever since he lost his alchemy, it's only gotten worse."

It was meant to sound teasing. But every word hit him where it hurt. She was right, anything that wasn't alchemy didn't come to Ed easily. He wasn't stupid, but having to learn a new way of life while dealing with past trauma, health issues, and his failure to be a good provider made attempts to adapt difficult. It just reminded him of how lacking he was when it came to providing for his family. On paper, he was just a hick from Noweheresville.

"He belongs here," Winry continued. "It's the only place he can make himself slightly useful."

Mustang frowned. "I think Ed can speak for himself." He turned to his former subordinate. "What do you think, Fullmetal?"

Ed tried to be nonchalant. "She's right. I'm a bit of a lughead when it comes to anything not alchemy. That's what I get for being so obsessive. I didn't take the time to learn anything else."

"Did you get a chance to see that school pamphlet I gave you when I was here last time?" Mustang asked, not realizing he was digging Ed's grave even deeper. "There's a school in Central for adults who need their high school degrees. As smart as you are, I bet you'd-"

"I said I was a lughead, not illiterate!" Ed snapped. "I don't need to go to school! I don't need to waste my time with a bunch of hormonal brats who can barely add and subtract!"

"Maybe college at least?" Mustang tried to reason. "That might be more challenging."

"We don't have the money," Winry said and then gave Ed a side glance. "When only one of us has a steady job."

Ed immediately deflated.

The general must have noticed something because he backed off and changed the subject. "Anyhoo, how's parenthood treating you, Ed?"

The change of subject was very welcome. Ed could talk about his kids for hours. He finally understood why Maes Hughes was so obsessed with his daughter. Fatherhood was a joy to Ed and a breath of fresh air. He had no issues with breaking out several photo albums and telling Mustang every story behind each photo - much to his superior's amusement. But Mustang indulged him, though he did joke about Ed acting way too much like Hughes. This got him a huff and a sarcastic comment, but they both laughed it off and Ed told him the story of Trisha's first day at school. Winry stayed in the background, cleaning up and putting their kids to bed, just watching them.

Time went by so fast. Mustang looked up at the clock and realized he had to go. Ed felt the sinking in his stomach. It had been so long since he had seen a close friend. He didn't want this evening to end. If it ended, he would have to face the music and deal with his wife, who watched them the entire evening from the kitchen. Only Ed could see the dark intent behind her otherwise soft expression.

When he gathered his things, Mustang bid them both a warm farewell, but not before encouraging Ed to reconsider returning to school as it would improve his job prospects. Ed just shrugged and said he would think about it. Mustang emphasized that he was there should Ed want any help.

There was a stillness when the sound of Mustang's footsteps faded into the night. Ed almost made a break for it, but he would face it like a man. She didn't keep him waiting.

"You lied to me…"

Ed turned to look into his wife's furious stare. "Winry, I-"

The hallway echoed from the hard slap. "You lying asshole! You told me you were working late, but you were wasting my money on booze?! You useless bastard!"

"Mustang paid for everything!" Ed protested. "I didn't spend a dime! And-and I wasn't lying! I did work late, but Mustang showed up and insisted!"

"You still lied to me!" Another slap. Ed stumbled backwards. "How dare you lie to me? It's bad enough you can't hold a damn job, but goofing off with one of your military dog friends is a whole other thing! I told you to leave that shit behind and stop dwelling on the past! This is your life now. The life of a barely useful husband who gets drunk after work!"

"I didn't get drunk!" Ed felt the anger growing in him. The invalid accusations were getting to him. "I just wanted a moment to myself! Mustang's a friend and I just wanted to talk a bit!"

"Oh just talk?" Winry rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he just wanted to talk."

Ed blinked. "What're you talking about?"

"You know, you inability to be a decent provider despite being a hotshot alchemist makes me wonder how you got the job in the first place," Winry sneered.

"I got the job fair and square!" What the hell was she talking about? "I got my license and worked for the State like everyone else!"

"Yeah, a fourteen year old kid got a job as a state alchemist," Winry mocked him. "I wonder what the real reason was. Surely, Mustang wouldn't pull so many strings for a kid to be a state alchemist and work directly under him because of your 'talent."

It started to sink in. "You can't be serious…" He couldn't believe she would suspect that.

"Not dating any other girls or even boys? You mean to tell me a teen wouldn't be the least interested in sex?" For the first time, he noticed the iron skillet in her hand. "But why would he? When he was getting it up the ass by his boss!"

"That's disgusting, Winry!" Ed shouted, completely aghast. "Nothing like that ever happened! You've got to believe me!"

"I wouldn't believe you ever again after you lied to me about getting drunk with Mustang," She walked up to him, brandishing the skillet. "So what did you do in exchange for the free drinks? Swallow?"

Ed was just speechless. He honestly had no idea what to think. This was the first time he had ever heard such a thing from her. Yeah, there were rumors, but surely she didn't believe any of them!

Winry continued. "It shouldn't surprise me. Seeing as you can't support your own family. I should've married your brother instead. He's more of a man than you'll ever be. You a selfish loser and a failure, just like your father."

That broke it. Ed snapped. He was not his father! His father left and never helped his family. Ed did the opposite to his own detriment. He stayed with Winry because he swore he would never abandon his wife and children. Even if it cost his dignity. He was doing everything he could possibly think of and this bitch still wasn't happy! He was trying to do better. He really wanted to do better. He didn't know what to do except let his pent up frustration take control.

Winry tried to hit him with the skillet. Ed caught it and threw it to the floor with a clank. He felt a sick pleasure when Winry's expression went from angry to surprised -and then to fear when he grabbed her arm and threw her back. He made sure he squeezed hard enough to make it hurt.

"You need to shut the fuck up right now, woman!" He growled. "I'm so damn sick of your bitching! I'm doing everything I possibly can in this podunk shitty town! I could've left you years ago, but I won't because I'm trying to keep you happy - even though all I want to do is wring your neck and shove one of your wrenches up your cunt!"

"Edward!" she backed away, eyes wide. Ed backed her against the wall and enjoyed giving her a taste of her own medicine.

"All you do is call me names and tell me how stupid I am," Ed wanted to sound intimidating, but the last few words came out as a choked sob. "Can't you see I'm trying? You won't let me study alchemy. You won't let me see my friends. You won't let me spend my own damn money! If we moved to the city, I could finally make myself better and support our kids! But you won't let me because that means you have no reason to treat me like total shit!"

He grabbed the front of Winry's blouse and yanked her closer. "You're nothing but a psychobitch and a whore!"

"A whore!" She echoed angrily. "The hell do you mean!?"

"I know about that 'client," Ed sneered. He knew of the young veteran that came to Winry's shop way too often for it to be 'just maintenance.'

Winry gritted her teeth. "He's more of a man than you'll ever be!"

"I'm leaving you," Ed stated with finality. "I don't give a damn what you say to me. I'm leaving you and taking the kids with me. They don't deserve to have such a slutty bitch for a mother!"

"You won't take a damn thing!" Winry punched Ed's chin. It caught him off guard just enough for her to break free. She leapt for the skillet on the floor and stood up, holding it like a bat.

"I hate you!" She screeched. "Useless bastard!"

Ed blocked hit after hit after hit she rained down on him. He winced when the iron hit his arms, but he stayed on the defensive. He had to get things under control. He didn't want to hurt his wife. He cursed when he tripped over the edge of the hallway rug. He fell flat on his butt and barely deflected another hit from his wife. He continued to block her hits, cursing and trying to reason with her. But to no avail.

"Winry! Get over yourself! Shit!" He crawled backwards. "The kids!"

"Let them see what a deadbeat their father is!" She yelled and moved to deal the final blow.

"Stop! Please stop!" was the last thing he heard before all hell broke loose.

The skillet should've hit him. He should've felt the hard blow. He didn't. He heard it. He heard it and then watched his little princess collapse to the ground, screaming and holding her head. He couldn't move. He couldn't believe what he saw. Nether did Winry as she stood in horror at their little girl curled on the floor sobbing.

His little girl...his daughter...his princess...the only thing that brought him any joy - or any purpose.

Ed saw red. "You...you damn cunt! Look what you did!" He turned it his wife, murder in his eyes. It was the final straw. "How dare you hit our own baby!"

With inhuman speed he tackled Winry to the ground. She screamed and cursed at him. He didn't hear her. He just heard the desperate wailing of his injured princess behind him. He slammed Winry again and again against the wall.

"You fucking bitch!" He spat in her face. "I don't care what you do to me, but don't you lay a filthy hand on my baby!"

"Edward! Stop! Think of Trisha!" Winry pleaded with him. "Stop hurting me!"

"This is what you do to me!" Ed shrieked. "This is all your fault!"

"Put your hands in the air!"

They all froze. Trisha whimpered in the corner of the hallway. Two cops stood with guns drawn at Ed. "Put your hands in the air and get on your knees now!"

Ed dropped his hands. Winry sunk to the ground, sobbing and pointing at him. "He tried to kill me!"

He just stood there, arms limp. Two guns pointed at his face. The door was broken in. More yelling, he was slammed against the same wall. The clicking of handcuffs. He was dragged into the front yard. He looked up to see Winry holding their still whimpering daughter. He tried to smile, to let his daughter know that everything would be fine. But it just looked like a pained grimace.

"Little bastard…" He heard one of the cops mumble. The door was shut. And they took him to the station.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Someone made a call. One of the neighbors. They heard yelling. Domestic disturbance. The cops came. He was booked at the station and roughly thrown into a cell.

He just stared at the blank cell wall. Completely broken. How had he let things get so out of control? His daughter saw them. She saw her parents attack each other. She saw her father hit her mother. Daddy hit Mommy.

'Stop! Please stop!'

She tried to stop them. Their yelling must have woken her and Maes. He vaguely remembered hearing his son crying upstairs. And now, she was hurt because of their stupidity. His stupidity.

"I am a failure," He cracked. "I got my own daughter hurt. I didn't protect her. Just like Al…"

Just like his brother. Ed couldn't protect the ones he loved. It was always his own failures that hurt the people he loved. He couldn't provide, couldn't protect, couldn't do a damn thing right. He was always trying to fix things. Make up for his lacking. But he just ended up hurting more people.

'... And now, my daughter…'

He deserved to be beaten. Winry was right. She was always right.

The cell door creaked open. He looked up.

"You made bail," the cop said gruffly. "An Alphonse Elric wired over the money. You may go."

Ed numbly stood up. His mind not quite processing what was said. "Al?"

"We called a Mr. Alphonse Elric. He was listed as your primary contact. He paid the bail and money for a hotel. He wanted me to tell you he was on his way to see you." The cop explained as he led Ed out of the station.

Al...the only person there for him. Who unconditionally loved him. Even though he didn't deserve it.

"Your wife as filed a restraining order against you. You are not allowed within a mile of the house and you cannot have any contact with your children. You will be arrested if you violate these terms."

Ed stopped and looked at the cop in horror. Not his kids! "W-wait...she can't do that! I'm their father!"

The cop sneered. "What kind father beats his wife in front of their kids? They're better off without you."

"She hit me first!" It sounded so childish, but it was the only coherent sentence he could think of.

The cop rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure. That's what every jerk says when he's caught red handed. 'She made me do it!' 'She made me angry!' Complete and utter crap! Always blame others for your craziness!"

"They're better off without you," The cop's words dripped with disgust. "Some Hero of the People you are! Just another psycho military dog. Get out of here and don't go anywhere near your wife. She's been through enough with you."

"Can...can I say goodbye? To my kids?" Ed said, trying so hard not to burst into tears in front of another man.

"They've left," the cop didn't show an ounce of sympathy. "The restraining order is in effect. They're safe with their mother."

'No, they're not!'

"I see…" he whispered. Utterly broken.

"It's so unnecessary. Losing your temper with your wife like that." The cop didn't hide his disgust. "Fights are just something that happen. You need to learn how to calm the fuck down. It's just something that happens. Get over yourself."

"You're right…" Ed whispered. "It's just something that happens…"

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

FMA was my absolute favorite anime back in 2003. I remember when it premiered on cartoon network's adult swim. After a two week hunt, I tracked down the complete series - and then bought FMA brotherhood. It's still the way I remember and I still love both series.

But when you're older, you notice somethings. For me, it's the Tsundere archetype that's so common in anime. Winry meets the qualities of a tsundere - which is the trope I dislike the most in anime.

Tsundere characters are meant to be endearing and comic relief. But I find them to be obnoxious and exhibit behaviors that we'd otherwise describe as abusive. There's much debate about this as its always meant to be funny. But when I step back and think, the Tsundere behavior is quite obnoxious and toxic. I ask myself why the other characters put up with them - much less choose them as a romantic partner.

I looked up female on male domestic abuse in the US and this is what I found:

\- On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year

\- 4% of men have been injured as a result of IPV (intimate partner violence) that included rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

\- 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

\- More than 1 in 4 men (28.5%) in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

\- The number of men physically and emotionally abused by women is suspect to be severely underreported as men are more likely to face stigma and blame.

\- Female abusers follow similar patterns of abuse as seen in male abusers.

\- When questioned why they don't leave their partners or take the abuse, male victims say it's 'just something that happens.'

I've seen this point many times and I'll repeat it: Is it funny if instead of Winry hitting Ed with a wrench, it's Will hitting Elise with a wrench?

I've known and worked with real people who act like Tsunderes. It's not funny and it certainly isn't cute. And few people liked them.

Thoughts on Winry:

My regard for Winry is 'meh.' I don't hate her with the veracity of some FMA fans, but I find her annoying. I honestly don't understand why she and Ed are romantically attracted to each other. I don't see the reason why. Her behavior gives even less of a reason why they would be interested in each other. If I were to guess their relationship, I'd say it more sibling-esque and platonic than romantic.

This annoys me as a writer. When I write romantic partners (see my kyou kara maou fanfics), I want the reader to know 'why' they are a couple and what attracts them to each other. Even if it's canon. When I watch FMA and FMAB, I feel like Winry and Ed end up together because they're 'supposed' to be, so there's no real romantic narrative between them. We already know they're gonna end up together so why bother?

Even in drivel like Twilight, there's at least an attempt to explain why the characters love each other (even if its stupid). That's the key to writing a good romance. The writer has to convince the reader why these two would chose each other over anyone else.

I could go on because this is an issue I find in shounen manga as a whole. But I won't weigh you down with my deep analyses.

Please leave comments and reviews! This is my first step into FMA/FMAB fanfiction and definitely want feedback.

Thanks for reading! - EB


	2. Chapter 2

20

Just Something That Happens Ch. 2

Warning: Drama/Angst, Alternate Universe, verbal/physical abuse, language, child endangerment, violence. This is not for EdxWinry fans. Please heed the warnings.

Summary: When Al got the call that Ed attacked his wife, he didn't want to believe it. Yeah, they bickered a lot, but Ed and Winry loved each other.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Al nervously tapped the window pane of the train as it drew into the Risembool station. He almost wanted to get out and run the rest of the way because the nervous energy had to go somewhere. However, he stayed put because he needed to be sane and presentable.

Four days ago, he was turning in after a long day of study when he got the call. Mei was in the other room brushing her hair, when a receptionist called his hotel room and said there was a police officer that wished to speak with him.

"Are you Alphonse Elric?" the officer asked curtly.

"Yes?"

"Your brother, Edward Elric, has been taken into custody. He assaulted his wife and child during an argument. You were on his records as a primary contact so we are reaching out to you." The officer explained. "He's currently in custody."

Al forgot how to speak. His mind repeated the statement that Brother assaulted Winry and their child. The officer didn't wait for him to piece together a coherent sentence so Al blindly listened to the officer list off what the procedures were as Brother's closest of kin. He heard mention that there was a restraining order and Ed couldn't go home. Al cleared up enough to give the officer information for a small inn in downtown Risembool and wire over the money for a room and to bail Ed out of jail. He made the officer promise to tell Ed that his brother was on his way to see him and not to go anywhere. The minute he set the phone down, Al started packing.

"What are you doing?" Mei had said when she saw him throwing random objects into a suitcase.

"Brother's in trouble," Al said. "There was a fight with him and Winry and now he's in jail."

Mei stared at him in shock while he continued to grab things. "What the hell? What happened?"

"I don't know," Al mumbled, trying to remember where he put his wallet. It was on his desk where he left it. It was shoved into his pocket, while he calculated when the last train out of Luoyang left. He glanced at the clock. The last train left at nine. It was almost seven-thirty. He could catch it if he left now.

Mei just blankly watched him pack. She tried to form a sentence once or twice, but went silent after a while. Like Al, she struggled to figure out the vague information he had just given her.

"Wait! Why is he in jail?" Mei said as she tried to grab Al's sleeve. "You can't just leave!"

"There was a fight - that's all the cop told me," Al explained unhelpfully. "The last train to Amestris leaves in like an hour and I can't leave Ed in a cell or get kicked out on the street."

Mei insisted on seeing him to the station. The entire time, she grilled him for more information that he didn't have. When that didn't work, she started to speculate what may have happened. Back in the fall of last year, Winry had told her Ed was having problems with his trauma and would have sudden mood swings. Maybe that caused it. Months ago, Al had mentioned that Ed told him he was stressed about finding work. That could be it. Or they just got into a heated fight and someone overreacted. Ed must have scared Winry if the police were involved. "He is very strong and he's always so easily riled up."

"Brother wouldn't do that!" Al finally responded. "He would never do something like that!"

Mei frowned. "I hope not."

Al wanted to argue, but now was not the time. Once he had more information, he could come to a rational conclusion and figure out a way to fix things. This had to be a huge misunderstanding. That had to be the reason.

The memory of that evening was rudely interrupted when the train whistle announced they had arrived. Al dully got his things and waited for his turn to step off the train. As soon as he got off, he immediately looked for a cab and then cursed at himself because this wasn't Luoyang or Central. Cabs didn't exist in Risembool.

"Damn it," he grumbled and readied himself for a long-ass walk.

Luckily, the hotel he sent Ed to wasn't far. Speculating distracted him from the ache in his arm as he carried his suitcase down the road. He thought of the letters and telegrams Ed and Winry had sent him in the past few months. They were mostly pictures of his niece and nephew and a general update on their wellbeing. Rarely did his brother and sister-in-law talk about themselves. When they did, it was in relation to their kids. The last thing Ed told him about his own life was a single sentence where he explained that he wanted to move to a larger city for better prospects. That was it.

The vague sentence both worried and irked Al. Ed used to be a talker. He used to write long letters to Al about the kids and how he enjoyed his new peaceful life. He wrote him about the latest developments in alchemical theory and asked for Al to send him books on alkahestry. Of course, Al did. Seeing Ed so content and enjoying what he loved brought Al peace in knowing that Ed was finally healing.

But that was over a year ago. Letters directly from Ed were sent further and further apart and then stopped altogether. Ed didn't individually write his brother anymore. Months ago when they spoke on the phone, Al casually asked Ed if he had read those books he told Al about and what he thought.

"Oh, I got rid of them," Ed told him after an awkward pause. "That life is behind me. I can't dwell in the past."

That had caught Al off-guard. Never in his life did he know Ed to give away an alchemy book. Once it was in Ed's hands, it was his. No argument there. Ed didn't explain further even when Al tried to press him. When Al asked him what Winry thought, Ed immediately changed the subject and refused to go back.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

The dread grew heavier as Al made his way up the stairs to Ed's hotel room. He was afraid of what waited for him. His speculations did nothing to ease his nerves and some thoughts made them worse. His mind kept swinging between thinking just what the hell happened and that this wasn't true.

He stopped in front of Room 302. He gripped the handle of his suitcase. He hesitated to knock, but managed to steel himself. He had to make sure Ed was safe and figure out how to fix this before more people were hurt. Al firmly knocked on the door. It was silent for a moment and then he heard shuffling before the door creaked open into the dimly lit room. He entered as Ed moved out of the way and stood in the middle of the room with a blank expression.

Al tried to greet his brother, but was struck silent at the sight before him. Ed looked disheveled and wan. His hair was loose and tangled, like he had been incessantly tugging and running his fingers through it - a clear sign he was distressed. He hadn't shaved in what looked like days and Al knew his brother didn't like facial hair. It was Ed's expression that really left Al even more stressed. His eyes were glazed over and bloodshot, his lips were chapped and pressed in a thin line - he had clearly been chewing on them, yet another sign of distress. Ed looked broken and hopeless. Nothing like the fireball Al saw when he visited a year ago. It might as well be a different person.

"Brother?" Al said quietly as he set his things down. "Ed?" Al tried to reach out to greet his brother, but Ed only retreated further into the room. Al watched Ed sluggishly plop down on the bed as far away from him as possible.

"What happened?" Al had to know. He moved to sit on the chair across from the bed. Somehow, he knew to avoid physically crowding Ed.

Ed looked down at his hands in his lap. "Winry and I had a fight. It got out of control. We both went crazy." He gave a small sob. "Trisha tried to stop us. Then the cops got there." Ed's voice was devoid of any emotion.

Al waited for Ed to continue, but that seemed to be all that his brother was willing to share at the moment. Al leaned over to make Ed look at him, but Ed averted his gaze. "Brother...are the kids ok?"

Ed thought for a moment. "I don't know...I...think so…"

"You think so?" Al repeated in disbelief.

"I haven't seen them in days!" Ed finally looked up with an agitated glint in his eyes. "I can't call them or see them or anything! If I do, I'll go to jail."

Al didn't know how to answer that. "Ed, just what the fuck happened?! You and Winry bicker, but getting the police involved? And you can't see your kids? Brother!"

Ed visibly flinched. Al scooted to the edge of his seat to force Ed to look at him. "Ed, what happened? This is the first time the police have gotten involved. I came here all the way from another damn country and paid for a hotel so you wouldn't be on the streets. You have to tell me the truth."

Ed finally locked gazes with his younger brother. Al and Ed had such unusual gold eyes that it struck people when they met an intense stare from either one. Even when distressed, Ed's eyes were still piercing and had an intensity that Al had to stand against. There was a cold despair in Ed's gaze that only made Al more determined to find out what happened to his brother and his supposedly perfect marriage.

Al didn't back down. There was a tense silence while he and Ed waited to see who would break first. "Brother, I just want to know what's going on so I can help you." Al dared to reach for Ed's hand that laid on his knee. To his relief, Ed allowed himself to be touched, though he remained tense.

"Mustang came by for a visit while I was still at work," Ed finally spoke in a low voice. "When I got back, he was already talking to Winry. He told her that he had visited me at work a few days ago. He didn't know I hadn't told her that. It pissed her off and we got into a fight."

"Winry got angry because you didn't tell her Mustang saw you at work?" Al thought if he slowly repeated back what Ed told him, it would encourage his brother to continue.

Luckily, it worked. Ed nodded and explained further. "He treated me to a beer. We started talking and I realized it was late. I was supposed to be home by eight, but it was almost eight-thirty. I told Winry I worked late for extra money 'cause I knew she'd be pissed. Then Mustang blew my cover like an idiot when he stopped by the house a few days later."

"Why didn't you just tell the truth?" Al pressed. Winry wasn't the type to get so angry over something that trivial, but he knew she didn't like being lied to.

"I'm not supposed to go out without asking her first," Ed said flatly.

Al sat back in his seat with a deep sigh. He glanced around the room as if the cheap decorations could explain better. Ed just sat in front of him, staring at the wall behind Al and making no effort to explain more. Al almost wanted to just call Winry and see if she would be more willing to cooperate, but that would come later. He had to focus on Ed first. He didn't want to give Ed a reason to clam up. Later, he might talk to Winry and they could work this out.

If he could just keep his brother talking then maybe pieces of the story would fall into place. "I don't see why that would be such an issue. We've gone out before and stayed out late. I didn't sense any irritation from her."

There was something in the way Ed glanced up at him that made Al question the validity of that statement. "She'd already said I could go."

This was bizarre. It was like pulling teeth to get Ed to talk. When Ed got out of an argument, he would normally trash talk the other person and explain in great detail why he was right and they were wrong to anyone willing to listen. He would joke and carefully point out their logical faults and laugh loudly. It didn't matter if the evidence said otherwise. Ed could argue until sunrise. Ed was softer with his wife, of course. However, he still made it a point to say something snarky to get a reaction out of her. All anyone else could do was ignore the awkwardness.

Al slumped back into his seat. He tried a different approach. "Have you eaten yet? At all?"

Ed shook his head. "Wasn't hungry."

Al stood up to find the room service menu. "Well, I am. I just got from the train station." He could at least focus on basic care - food and hygiene. "Have you showered? Did they let you bring any of your own clothes?"

"No, I went straight here. The restraining order is already in effect," Ed explained.

Al set down the menu to retrieve his own clothes and toiletries from his suitcase. He pulled out a plain shirt and loose pants. He then found his travel soap, shaving cream, and a razor. He handed them to Ed, who took them without fuss and went to the washroom to bathe and change.

While he listened to Ed clean himself up, Al tried to read the menu, but the words weren't registering in his mind. He was still making sense of what he had just heard and just what to do about it. His mind kept going in circles - why was Ed so quiet, are the children ok, where is Winry, restraining orders, Mustang got Ed in trouble with his wife - it went on and on. He finally managed to read the menu and randomly picked the first dinner platter he saw and called the desk to make the order.

Al had just set the phone down when Ed emerged from the washroom. Al was pleased to see that Ed looked much better and even clear eyed. He paused when he noticed the fading red mark on Ed's face.

"What happened to your face, Brother?" Al asked worriedly.

Ed froze and absently touched his face as if caught red handed. Ed quickly trained himself back into his usual blase stance and shrugged. "I pissed her off and she hit me."

Al had seen Winry slap Ed before. Usually, it was well-deserved after a particularly nasty remark on Ed's end. Like others, Al rolled his eyes and continued on with his business. He had long become numb to the couple's antics and just didn't have the energy to care anymore.

But that was before the police got involved. "Was that why the cops showed up?"

"I guess so," Ed replied and then changed the subject. "I'm hungry. Did you order anything?"

"I got a chicken dinner platter for both of us. Is that okay?" Al humored him while pushing away his frustration. Alphonse feared if he pushed too much then they would get nowhere fast. He would just have to wait until Ed let his guard down enough.

The food arrived about fifteen minutes later. As they ate, Al decided to just tell Ed what he had been up to in Xing for the past eighteen months. Ed seemed to like this and slowly started to contribute to the conversation. He asked questions and commented on some of Al's research and even made a suggestion or two. If the topic got anywhere near talking about Ed, his older brother would shut down immediately. So Al kept talking.

"Mei wants us to move in together," Al mentioned casually and then chuckled a little. "I'm still on the fence. I like having my own room. Maybe if we got a place with two bedrooms and we'll just visit each other when we want to get spicy." Alphonse winked at his brother.

Ed hmph'd. "Make sure it's what you really want. I know Mei can be pushy. Sharing a bedroom teaches you a lot about the person - like if they sound like a chainsaw when they sleep."

Alphonse chuckled. "Well, Mei sounds more like a hairdryer on the low setting, so it might not be so bad."

Ed gave a small smile. "Winry and I snore like tractors - I think it's why Trisha wouldn't sleep through the night until she finally got her own room. Poor baby must've been exhausted."

"Tractors? How do the two of you sleep then?" Alphonse asked playfully.

Edward shrugged. "Barbituates. I pop them like candy. It's the only way I can get a solid night's sleep these days."

This made Alphonse pause. "Barbituates? What about the teas Mei sent you guys?"

"Winry likes them. They don't work for me very well," Ed said as he set his empty plate to the side. "The meds are better."

Al frowned. "Okay...just make sure your doctor is aware. I know that some doctors will overprescribe them because it's a 'cure all', but research is showing that they may do more harm than good."

Ed waved him off. "Yeah-yeah. I don't need a doctor. They're too nosy. As long as it works, I don't really care."

"Okay then," Al responded skeptically. He decided to let the topic drop for now, but made note of it. "How's work coming along? Are you still doing day labor?"

Ed looked offended that Al would ask such a mundane question. Al shifted uncomfortably, but allowed Ed to make the first move. It had even been a point of contention for them as Al tried and failed to convince both Ed and Winry that there were better opportunities outside of Risembool. It seemed as if Ed was unwilling or unable to go anywhere that gave even the slightest reminder of Central. However, Al had never known his brother to turn away from something that could help those he loved. Surely the schools would be better and Ed spoke of how he wanted Trisha to have a good education - better than he and Al had. It was like Ed was terrified to venture beyond Risembool.

"I was working as a farmhand for Mr. Johnson," Ed finally said. "He's been the only consistent employment I've been able to find."

"I see," Al wasn't sure how to respond. Asking if Ed had other prospects or when his contract with Mr. Johnson would end felt like poking a live grenade. "There's...nothing else?"

"I don't know," Ed responded after a pause. "Probably not after what happened."

Al looked down at his half-empty plate. He no longer had an appetite and set the plate down next to Ed's.

Al decided to just bite the bullet and see if he could get his brother to cooperate. "Ed, tell me what happened right now. This isn't the time for your damn pride. "

Ed shrunk away from Al's stern delivery. He tried to form words, but nothing came out. Al remained steadfast and watched Ed struggle to speak. "Brother, you can talk to me."

There was no color in Ed's face. He stared at the same spot behind Al. Al turned to see what was distracting Ed and saw a random cheap painting of a farm. He turned back to look at Ed, who sat expressionless.

"I didn't ask Winry if I could hang out with Mustang," Ed began slowly and just barely above a whisper. "When she found out, she got mad and we fought. She pissed me off so bad that I grabbed her and shook her. I wanted to scare her so she'd leave me alone. She found a pan and hit me with it. It got so out of control. We woke the babies and Trisha tried to break us up, but she got hit. I don't know who called the police - maybe a neighbor heard the noise. I was arrested and a restraining order was put in place. I can never see my kids again."

At the mention of his kids, the cracks started to form. Ed's eyes were glassy and dilated. "I fucked up big time, Al. I should've just let Winry hit me and said 'yes, honey' like Mr. Johnson told me to. As usual, I'm too much of an ass to know when to shut up." Ed's voice cracked.

Al drew a blank. What was he supposed to say to that? Ed and Winry were so caught up in their fight that Al's niece got hurt. "Are the kids safe?" was all he could think to say.

"I think so," Ed mumbled. "Winry loves them."

At hearing that his niece was hurt in the turmoil, Al let his anger show itself. "Ed, how could you and Winry let something like that happen? Are the two of you so thick-headed that you get so caught up in a fight that you hit your own daughter?! You were supposed to outgrow this years ago! How old are the two of you now?" Al slumped back in his seat in a growl. "The fact that your preschool age daughter tried to break you up shows that a toddler is more of an adult than the two of you. You are so damn selfish! I'm glad the cops were called before the baby felt the need to get involved too!"

Ed just sat there and took the scolding. When he failed to respond, Al stood up to pace the room and channel his energy while he tried to find reason. Al glared at Ed who just looked down at his feet. This made Al sneer. "You are unbelievable. Just a wreck."

To Al's surprise, Ed gave a small sob. "You're right," he admitted. "I'm a wreck. I can't take care of my own kids. I deserved to be hit. It was wrong of me to blame her. The only reason we're not homeless is because of Winry. Without my alchemy, I'm a total loser. I don't know how to do anything else. I'm a failure."

Al softened. "Brother, you're not a failure. You've done too much to be a failure."

Ed snorted. "Yeah, back when I was a hotshot alchemist. I'm a nobody now."

"Ed, that's not true," Al pleaded.

"Yes, it is!" Ed snapped.

What could Al do now? This was probably the most information he would get out of Ed for the time being, but there was still so much to determine. Al looked at his brother. Ed looked exhausted and numb. He was in no position for further questioning. He needed compassion and love. Al would give it to him as much as possible while he tried to save Ed from more suffering.

Al looked at the clock. It was mid-evening. "Why don't you get some rest, Brother?" Al suggested gently. "I have to make a call, but I'll be back soon."

At the mention of a phone call, Ed suddenly regained his energy. Moving fast enough to jerk Al back before he made it to the door, Ed glared into Al's surprised eyes.

"You cannot tell a damn soul!" Ed hissed. "Don't you dare tell anyone this happened! It's nobody's business what happens with me and my wife. No one! You hear me?"

"I'm not telling anyone, Brother," Al quickly promised. "I promised Mei I'd tell her when I got to Risembool. I'm just letting her know I got here safe. That's all, I swear."

Ed's gaze narrowed. "That better be all," he warned.

Al nodded and quickly made his way out of the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

It wasn't until he made it to the hotel lobby that Al let out the breath he was holding. He forgot how fast Ed could be. Ed had spent the entire time being lethargic and barely aware. To have him almost jump across the room to demand Al remain silent caught him off guard and startled.

Al quickly found a payphone and called Mei. They had a quick and affectionate exchange. Al only gave as many details as he felt comfortable sharing. He didn't want to give his girlfriend grounds to follow him. If too many people showed up then it would overcomplicate things.

When Al placed the phone back on the holder, he paused for a long while. Weighing the pros and cons, he finally picked up the phone again to dial Mustang. Al knew he was breaking his promise to Ed, but this was an exception. Mustang was the unintentional catalyst to the fight. He deserved to know.

"Mustang," came the curt answer after two rings.

"Hey, Mustang, It's Al," Al began nervously.

"Oh, hello Al," Mustang greeted. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I need your help," Al said.

"Okay? What's wrong?"

Al had to take a moment to think. "I'm in Risembool. A few days ago, Ed and Winry got into a fight that was bad enough to get the police involved. Ed got kicked out of the house and he's in a hotel. He's not allowed to see the kids. I haven't seen or spoken to Winry. Ed told me that the fight happened because he didn't tell Winry he hung out with you after work."

Silence. Al thought he could hear Mustang's breathing hitch. He patiently waited for Mustang to process what he had just told him. Mustang didn't keep him waiting long.

"Wait...what?" Al could hear Mustang's shock. "What the hell happened?"

Al meticulously repeated what Ed had told him. Mustang remained silent. Al could envision the stern look on the colonel's face as he absorbed the bizarre tale Al spun for him. Al didn't add his own commentary to the story, he wanted Mustang's objective response and what he saw that night he visited the couple.

"That's all I know, Colonel," Al sighed when he finished. "Ed won't tell me anything else. He told me to not tell anyone, but I had to tell you because you were there." Silence. "Colonel?"

"Winry and Ed got into a physical altercation because Ed didn't ask his wife for permission to spend time with friends?" Mustang summarized in disbelief. "That's just ridiculous."

"Did you see anything when you were there?" Al asked.

Mustang sighed. "No...everything seemed fine. I only stopped by for a quick hello before heading home. I got there before Ed got off from work, so I chatted with Winry until Ed came home. They acted normal." Mustang stopped before continuing. "But, there was something...off. Winry kept making these rude comments and Ed got defensive. I backed off because I didn't want to start an argument."

"I understand," Al said.

"When I was out for drinks with Ed, he mentioned that Winry was annoying him," Mustang offered. "He acted like it was nothing though. He said it was over dumb stuff. I've seen them get on each other's nerves enough that I just let it go."

"They always bicker..."Al repeated in agreement.

That was what made this entire situation all the more grinding for Al. Everything could just be chalked up to an immature married couple. As long as he could remember, Ed and Winry would get into these little tiffs that were over as soon as they started. At first, it was funny and cute. Watching the great Fullmetal Alchemist get smacked across the face by a teenage girl was amusing. Ed needed someone to put his ego in check. Al was convinced Ed let Winry hit him because it proved he had her full attention. Ed liked to say or do things just to get a reaction out of Winry. He would be careless with his automail so Winry would get mad and come to wherever they were.

"Where is Ed now?" Mustang asked.

"He's in a hotel downtown," Al responded. "He's staying there with me until I figure this out."

"How long will you be there?" Mustang pressed.

Al shrugged into the phone. "I don't know…"

"I'll wire you over some money so you and Ed have a place to stay until we figure this out," Mustang said with finality. Al knew better than to argue. "Al, do you want me to come down there? There's no way that Ed would intentionally harm Winry. This has to be an overreaction."

"No," Al said. "I think if you came then Ed would try to act normal. He's barely talking to me , so I know he'd refuse to say anything if you were here - not to mention pissed off because I broke my promise not to tell."

"Are you going to talk to Winry?"

Al thought for a moment. "I...want to. I think I will. Winry and I are close. She's more reasonable. I also want to see the kids."

"Yes, make sure they're safe," Mustang said. Al heard Mustang sigh. "Okay. I'll trust you. But you must keep me updated. I will help if you let me."

"I know," Al smiled into the phone. "And thank you for that."

"Make sure my godkids are safe," Mustang demanded. "I'll talk to you later. I'm serious about keeping me informed of everything. Bye."

"Okay. Bye," Al said and hung up the phone. He slumped against the wall of the phonebooth.

The sudden wave of exhaustion left him weak-kneed. He didn't even want to go back into the hotel.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Al kept repeating yesterday's events over and over in his head to try and find some logical reason for what was happening. It helped pass the time while he walked to the house. Ed expectedly became agitated when Al said he would go to their house. When Al said he would check on the kids and get some of Ed's things, his brother backed down. Al left Ed reading one of the books Al brought along to keep himself occupied on the train ride.

Al wanted to say that Winry and Ed were drama queens and this blew completely out of control. This was just another spat between them and he had wasted his time coming all the way here. He should feel annoyed, not worried.

Al had often played referee when Ed and Winry got into a fight. Both were stubborn and needed to have the last word. Al remembered times when he would reason with Ed that he should apologize to Winry and that she only acted out of love and worry for them. When Winry came to fix Ed's automail, she was met with Ed's busted automail and an impressive collection of injuries on the rest of his body. Ed cheated death so many times and survived only because Winry made so many updates to his automail that the thing could honestly deflect bullets. It could handle punching concrete, falls from dangerous heights, absorb shock on impact, and was flexible enough that Ed could change the metal to suit his needs with a simple transmutation. Al would never forget when Scar exploded Ed's automail arm and the first thing Winry did was adjust the components to withstand the type of energy Scar used in his attacks. Winry drilled Ed to give her the exact technique and alchemy Scar used so she could customize the automail. She stayed up all night adjusting and fixing until she was satisfied that it would never explode again. And it didn't.

Winry did so much for Ed and free of charge that it even frustrated Al when Ed would be careless with his automail. There were times when Al was so annoyed he hoped Winry wouldn't show up so Ed would learn not to take her for granted. Though he tried to remain neutral, it would be a lie to say he didn't secretly side with Winry more than with his brother.

It was a relief for Al to move to another country. It meant he wouldn't have to moderate their arguments. Since they were children, Al - forever the peacekeeper- would try to end the fight. It usually worked and the two made up and acted as if it never happened. Al was happy to see them show such friendship and eventual love that he knew they would be good together. They were the only ones who could understand each other enough to not let their differences ruin a years' long friendship that became a happy marriage. Al was sure they would be fine on their own and they even seemed to mature as they grew older.

Everyone believed that Winry was good for Ed. And she was. When she was around, he behaved himself. He played the doting husband and father. He wasn't as brash or irresponsible. People applauded her for bringing the loose cannon Edward Elric finally under control and give him some sense. Winry gave Ed stability and it was obvious that she acted as a foundation for Ed to allow himself to heal and no longer feel as if the world was out to get him. After he married Winry, Ed was gentler and collected, his temper evened out and he acted like an adult.

But that was where the doubts showed. If their marriage was so good, then something like this shouldn't be possible. Winry shouldn't be so afraid of Ed that she felt the need to place a restraining order. Al never knew Ed to threaten or harm those he loved. Al refused to believe it. Ed would never lay a hand on his wife or children. Ed only regarded them with unconditional love.

Al pushed the thoughts aside. Now, he needed to focus on fixing this and that required he make sure that Winry and the kids were safe. Once that was achieved, he could find answers and help his brother and sister-in-law reconcile.

Al made it to the porch of Ed and Winry's house. He hesitated to knock. He didn't know how to breach the subject. Deciding that the best approach was to be as compassionate and non-threatening as possible, he firmly knocked on the door and waited.

He stiffened when Granny Pinako opened the door and sneered up at him. "Alphonse."

"Hey, Granny," Al smiled nervously. Though she was short in stature, Granny had a presence that never failed to intimidate Al.

"I'm guessing you're here because Ed told you what happened?" Granny stated dryly.

"Yes…" Al nodded. "I wanted to check on Winry to make she's not hurt."

"Are you going to convince her to stay with him?" Granny's eyes narrowed, but at least she stepped aside to let Al in. "You're wasting your time."

"I'm not. I just want to know what happened." Al stated as he slowly entered the house.

"It's kind of you to check on her," Granny said, though she remained suspicious. Al meant to respond, but they were interrupted.

"Granny? Who is at the door?" Winry called from the kitchen. She appeared in the hallway and froze when she saw Al. "Al?"

"Hello, Winry," Al greeted. "I'm here to see how you're doing."

"Ed made you come here, didn't he?" Winry frowned. "Made himself the victim again, right?"

"He told me the two of you had a fight," Al said.

"The bastard tried to kill me!" Winry snapped. "Look at my neck!"

She pulled down her collar and Al gasped. Indeed, there were dark bruises on Winry's collar bone. It definitely looked liked she had been grabbed violently by two large hands.

Al had to find his words. "Winry, I'm-I'm so sorry this happened. I'm glad you're alright despite this. This was wrong."

"It is wrong," Winry mumbled and covered her neck. "He's unstable. I should've left him years ago."

"Winry, Ed told me what happened, but I want to hear your side too," Al insisted.

"Come and sit down," Winry waved him into the kitchen. He complied. Winry handed him a glass of water. "You'll need it." Al did need it. Something to keep his nerves in check.

Al sipped the water and waited for Winry to continue. She sat down across the table from him holding her own glass. She didn't look up at him, but stared blankly at her drink. She seemed to struggle to speak so Al remained patient. He didn't want to give her any incentive to not speak the truth.

"Ed and I...haven't been getting along," she finally said, still staring at her reflection in her drink. "He's been volatile and stressed. We keep butting heads. It's gotten worse in the past couple of weeks for both of us. It's frustrating."

Al shifted uncomfortably and waited for her to continue.

"We can't speak to each other without it becoming a fight. I don't trust him anymore. The other night, I found out he'd been out drinking with Mustang. He lied to me and I got angry. It got out of control and it got physical. I should've been more careful. Trisha tried to break us up and she ended up getting hurt when I tried to hit Ed with a pan."

Al clenched his cup. "Is-is Trisha okay? Where is she now?"

Winry nodded slowly. "She's...fine. She's scared and keeps asking about her father. She's upstairs taking a nap, actually. I feel awful because I would never hit my own child like that on purpose. I let my anger and fear take control and I didn't even hear her come in and jump in front of Ed. No matter how nasty our fights got, I made sure the kids were as far away as possible or in bed. Ed did, too. Neither of us have raised a hand against our kids." She began to tear up and choked up a little bit. "This is so awful. I've tried to ignore it for so long, but that's not possible anymore."

"Ed...implied that you got angry because he didn't ask your permission to go out," Al said cautiously.

Winry sneered. "I got mad because he goofed off when he was supposed to go home and help with the kids. Because he didn't come home on time, I ended up having to stay up late to finish my work. Ed knows better, but because he's stuck in the past, he refuses to grow up and get his shit together."

Al had to groan too. With everything he heard up until now it was like the situation just kept getting worse and he was learning things he wished weren't true. "Winry...how long has this been going on?"

"Almost a year now," she answered after thinking for a bit. "He was fine and everything was great those first years of our marriage. Then I got pregnant with Maes and it went downhill. With one kid already things were difficult, but manageable. Ed really tried to be helpful, but I feel like his own demons were getting to him. He spent so much time trapped inside his own mind. There were times he would just stare into nothing. There were other times when he would have these mood swings and it scared me. I felt like I had to be violent to get him to calm down."

"You've...hit him before?" Al was still struggling to understand all of this.

"Only because I felt I had to. It's the only way to get him to cooperate or change his behavior," Winry said earnestly.

Al nodded dumbly. Winry was right to a degree. Ed could be stubborn to the point of self-destructive. Many a fight had broken out between Al and his brother because Ed became so tunnel-visioned that it bordered on obsessive. Ed's temper could be forceful, but Al would never believe that Ed would raise a hand to his own wife. That was a line he never thought Ed would cross. Underneath the caustic attitude, Ed was a genuinely loving person and fiercely loyal. When Ed loved, he loved hard. Al saw that when he watched his brother play with the children and he definitely saw it when Ed had rushed to him in glee to tell him that Winry agreed to be his wife. Ed wasn't the mentally unstable man that Winry described.

So far there wasn't any reason to disbelieve either Ed or Winry. Their stories were lined up for the most part, but both had very different interpretations. Al suddenly wanted to tuck tail and run back to Xing. Anything to not have to deal with this.

"I'm telling you this because I trust you, Al," Winry smiled sadly and reached across the table to touch his hand. "Ed listens to you. I don't want to give up on him, but he has to remain distant until he fixes himself. You understand, right?"

"No-no, I completely understand," Al said quickly to keep her trust. "At least for the time being. My main concern is that Trisha and Maes are safe and happy."

Winry sat back in her chair with a sigh. She thought for a moment before speaking again. "I'm willing to forgive him. Tell Ed that if he promises to be a man and listen to me, then I'll let him come home. I'll drop the restraining order."

Al was surprised and hopeful. "Really? That's great, Winry. I know he misses all of you."

"We miss him too," Winry agreed. "But he has to fix himself first."

"I'll tell him," Al was happy that at least one of them was willing to make up and forgive.

"Trisha misses her father," Winry said sadly. "For all he's worth, Ed does love us. But love won't make him grow up."

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

After hearing from Winry and Ed, Al had to excuse himself to attempt to process everything. He numbly stepped onto the back porch for some much needed air and for the quiet needed to understand just what the hell was going on and what had he missed over the past year.

Al was in conflict with what he had just heard and what he had seen in the past few years. It was like seeing two different couples. Al pulled every memory he could think of to see if there were any signs or hints that he missed that could have alerted him to this mess.

Ed and Winry's wedding had been perfect. The stuff from fairytales. Watching them recite their vows brought Al to tears because he had never seen those two so happy and in love. They laughed and beamed as friends gave their well wishes. The dancing and fun went well into the night. When they got back from their honeymoon, they only had great things to say. When Trisha was born, it was still great. Ed loved showing off his beautiful baby girl to the point where Winry joked that she only got to hold her baby when it was meal time. Ed passed his infant daughter around to anyone within hearing distance so they could see up close just how perfect she was - after they washed their hands. When Maes was born, there were some hitches, but all was still happy with the young family. It was to be expected. Raising two kids was difficult, but Ed and Winry both rose to the challenge and Al didn't worry at all when he made the decision to move to Xing with Mei. Whenever there was mention of struggle, both Ed and Winry remained optimistic and determined.

"What did I miss?" Al mumbled to himself as he looked out into the open field that surrounded the house.

A creak from behind him alerted Al to Granny Pinako walking onto the porch. She gave him a side glance before coming to stand to the side of the porch and calmly light her tobacco pipe. Al watched her take a long swig from her pipe and slowly exhale the smoke. Al couldn't help but wonder how Granny lived this long being a chain smoker.

"So…" Granny drawled, voice rough. "What do you think of all this?"

Al wasn't sure how he should answer that. Granny remained quiet during his conversation with Winry. He vaguely remember her sitting in the living room.

"I-I don't know," he finally replied. "I honestly don't."

"I don't blame you," Granny said, tapping the excess ash from the pipe bowl. "I didn't want to believe it myself for a long time. But I always felt that something was off."

"At least Winry is willing to forgive him," Al said. "When I saw him at the hotel, Ed looked like he would do anything to make amends. Once they talk, I'm sure it'll be better."

"I don't have your optimism," Granny said flatly.

"Why?" Al hoped Granny could bring some reason to all of this.

"I always thought they married too young," Granny said after thinking for a moment. "They didn't allow themselves time to recover from the Promised Day. They were acting off the high of cheating death for the umpteenth time and I can't help but wonder if they mistook their relief for love."

Al looked back into the distance. Ed and Winry were a bit young to get married so quickly, but they were so happy together that Al didn't think anything of it. They both deserved to be happy for once.

"War and violence changes men," Granny said dolefully after another exhale of smoke. "They don't come back right in the head. I've lived through enough wars to see that it happens all the time. The things that those boys witnessed - what Ed and yourself witnessed - don't just disappear. It follows you." Another swig and then a breath of smoke. Granny looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "This is nothing new. I've had friends who married soldiers and they told me what happened. Drugs, alcohol, nightmares - everything. I've had to patch up a couple of women - like I had to patch up my granddaughter."

Al cringed at the thought. "I...can't believe Ed would do that. I just can't. He loves Winry. He was so excited to be with her. She was the only one who loved him despite everything he had been through."

"Winry said the same thing," Granny murmured, which made Al pause.

"Really?" He pressed when Granny went quiet.

"A few weeks ago, they had a fight. I know this because Trisha escaped from the house, ran all the way down the road and banged on my door at one in the morning dressed in nothing but her night gown and slippers. Within minutes, they showed up at my door looking for their daughter. I gave them both a word about not letting their tempers scare their children. Children don't need that."

"Damn," Al groaned. He didn't think he could take more.

"Damn, indeed," Granny huffed. "I told Ed that if he disrespected his wife again, I'd make sure he'd go to jail. All he said was 'yes, Granny.' then they all went home and everything was fine after that."

"Do you think that Winry's been hitting Ed?" Al timidly asked. "When I saw him at the hotel, he said she beat him and that's why he grabbed her."

Granny gave him another side glance and continued to nurse her pipe. "Winry is more like Ed's caretaker than his wife. She might as well have three kids. After that night, I came by their house when Ed was gone and asked Winry why she was with him. She said it was because no one else would be able to love him with his trauma. He needed her." She coughed and caught her breath. "It's too much for a young woman. And Ed...Ed's not right in the head. He's like those soldiers coming home from war. He looks fine, but it isn't long before it starts to crack."

"What did you do?" Al asked.

"Nothing," Granny said flatly. "They're grown-ass adults. It's not my place to tell them how to handle their marriage. I only step in if they ask or if I think the kids are at risk. My loyalty is to my granddaughter and great-grandchildren. I only care about them. I came over the morning after Ed was arrested and I've been here since."

"Are you going to tell Winry to leave Ed?" Al had no idea why he asked that question, but he felt a morbid need to know. Maybe he could use Granny's actions as an example and follow her cue.

Granny gave a long sigh as she put out her pipe. "Those two don't belong together."

Al looked down at his feet. Granny seemed to take pity. "Your brother's not an evil man, Al. Far from it. No man can go through what he went through and come home just peachy fine. The fact that the two of you didn't grow up to be serial killers is itself a miracle. However, that doesn't mean he gets an excuse."

A baby's cry interrupted the tense silence. It sounded like Maes. Granny hummed and pocketed her pipe after emptying the bowl completely. She slowly made her way back into the house. Right before she closed the door behind her, she turned to meet Al with an icy stare and a warning.

"Ed's not an evil man," She repeated, but her tone was cold. "But if he comes near my granddaughter again, I will kill him."

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Just Something That Happens part 2!

So after seeing the response for this fic and the requests to continue, I decided to make this a short story rather than a one-shot.

When people find out that abuse has taken place within their family, loyalties are tested and divided, there's denial and shock, there's doubt and attempts to rationalize what happened, and then there's guilt. No one thinks something like this will happen to them so when it does, everyone is caught in the headlights.

*Read further only if you have nothing better to do...

When I first posted this story, I knew that views would be split as it's about a very popular couple in one of the most popular animes of all time (I think FMA has an almost perfect rating on IMDB). I'm happy that most of the comments - positive and negative - were well thought out for the most part.

There were some comments that got my attention, not because they didn't like the story, but because of how they framed their criticism:

It's a gag/joke: I know that and said as much. I took a common comedic element and subverted it into how I think it would appear in a real-world setting.

There are worse couples than EdxWin: I don't like that there's a spectrum of severity to the point where it's implied that some couples get a pass because there are "worse" couples.

Other characters hit Ed/hit each other: I interpreted this as that a character should be excused because other characters behave just as badly. For me, this brings attention to other characters' toxic behavior and indicates a bigger issue. It doesn't provide an excuse/pass for any character. It certainly doesn't justify that character's behavior. They're all assholes.

This is Winry-bashing: I can see how someone might think that because of my portrayal of Winry for this story. There are FMA fans that intensely hate Winry. They even have their own online group. I think this is silly and is indicative of a bigger issue in anime fandoms. It's perfectly fine to not like a character and describe why, but I disagree with the vicious spitefulness some fans show towards this fictional character.

In the end, I accomplished what I set out to do. I wrote a story that brought attention to a topic that I feel gets ignored when we talk about toxic relationships and criticize a gag/joke that stopped being funny or charming years ago.

Thank you to everyone who read this story, I always appreciate your patronage and time. I hope that you continue to enjoy my work.

EB


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for everyone who took the time to read this and leave a comment. Much appreciated.

*Very serious warning*; The final scene is very intense, it shows verbal/emotional abuse and could be a serious trigger. Please heed the warning and read at your own risk.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Winry watched Al leave until he had disappeared into the distance. With a groan, she shut the door and retreated further into the house. She was exhausted and just wanted to rest. She numbly heard Granny shuffling around the kitchen and she could smell the fresh tobacco smoke on her grandmother. Winry could have gone for a smoke herself, but her lungs were too 'delicate' as Granny had told her when she made the attempt to get addicted and it ended in a painful coughing fit.

On her way, she glanced into the sitting room where her piles of invoices waited amidst a small side project which just pissed her off even more. An automail limb sat on what was once a desk surrounded by her tools and atop another invoice folder. She would have to get to that at some point, but she didn't have the energy to care.

"How are you feeling?" Granny asked her gently when she plopped down at her usual seat at the kitchen table.

"Miserable," she mumbled as she rubbed her itchy eyes. "This is ridiculous."

"I don't blame you," Granny sat down across from her. "This is...a difficult situation."

"Granny, I don't know what to do…" Winry ran her fingers through messy hair. "This is too much."

Granny reached over to hold Winry's hand. "I know, my dear. It'll be alright."

Winry wasn't sure she agreed. She kept replaying that damned night over and over again to see if there was a way she could have prevented the entire thing. She kept drawing blanks. It was the first time one of their children was hurt. She thought of holding Trisha as the police took Ed away and consoled the near-hysterical girl that everything was going to be fine when she herself didn't buy it. But she had to calm her daughter down somehow while feeling numb and in shock at what happened in the span of only a few minutes.

Perhaps, she would have to finally accept that this had been building for a long time and she had been in denial.

"I'm going to take a nap," she said suddenly and made her way to the stairs. She wanted to be alone.

"Winry," Granny's gentle call made her pause. "Get some air and rest. I'll watch the kids for the rest of the day and handle dinner."

Winry gave a small grunt in agreement and quickly made her way upstairs. She slammed the door before collapsing on the mattress. She paused when she caught the familiar scent of her husband. She angrily turned her head away as she didn't feel like missing him or facing the reality that had been building for months. She didn't want to feel guilty. Ed brought it on himself - as always. This was no different.

Winry caught a glance of an old photo on the dresser of her, Ed, and Al as kids. Ed and Al were Winry's only real friends. She never connected well with the other kids - especially the girls in their village. She found them shallow and way too interested in being pretty. They looked at her oddly when she would talk about her automail and the latest technology in the craft. She knew nothing of dolls, fashion or boys. Boys were loud and stupid. Boys treated Winry with contempt when she didn't wear makeup or respond to their advances so they left her at the curb. Ed and Al weren't boys. They were smart, honorable and could talk about something other than boobs. They were Ed and Al.

Winry had a crush on Ed since they were kids. She loved his rough bad boy charisma that followed him well into his teens and adulthood. She dreamed of running her hands through his golden hair and being the center of his attention. As Ed matured and only grew more handsome, his automail was her one undeniable connection to the young man and the foundation for their friendship-turned-love. It was her main method for keeping him near her and not other women. She couldn't help but feel smug when other girls would swoon over photographs of the famous Fullmetal Alchemist in the gossip newspapers, but she was the one to take him to bed every night. Ed's fans sent love letters and showed up at government and military functions just for the small chance to catch his eye, behaving like total idiots with their obnoxious screaming when he deigned to appear. He only had eyes for Winry.

Ed was the only boy to ever earn Winry's attention. He was the only peer to appreciate her automail and indulge her obsession with the artform. He earned her respect and adulation when she watched him suffer the automail attachment surgery with stoic resolve when men more than twice his age would be screaming and sobbing for the procedure to stop. After that, she watched Ed go through physical therapy with no complaint and recover faster than most patients. He regarded his automail as an advantage, not a disability. He looked to Winry to make him stronger. He needed her.

When Ed announced he would become a state alchemist to restore his brother and absolve their sins, she immediately promised her loyalty and love. Watching Ed and Al disappear into the sunset as she waved goodbye reminded Winry of the cheesy romance novels where women saw their men off to war. She snorted to herself with the satisfaction that Ed would always return to her perfectly fine - save for a few dents.

With Ed and Al gone, one of the few ways Winry could keep tabs on them was the newspaper. The journalists spoke in awe of the young prodigy who became the youngest alchemist to ever be enlisted. She read the papers and listened to the radio to hear about Ed's many escapades. She was happy to see how few of them were about any romantic escapades - further proof of his attention to her. The awed comments about Ed's powerful automail only made her extra giddy. Thanks to Ed, she finally had her work admired. It was because of her that Ed became the Fullmetal Alchemist.

She created many fantasies of Ed. However, those fantasies were tainted when she saw the increasing collection of scars on his body and the dents in his automail. She shoved down her frustration as she would have to cancel several appointments with her other clients to help Ed. It cost her money, but she loved Ed. She fixed his kinks and damages with utmost care and hid her annoyance when he voiced his impatience or made a sarcastic comment about her work that she did free of charge. This often led to petty bickering that most would find unattractive, but it was those moments when Ed would soften and meekly apologize after a hit to the head and a scolding from Alphonse that Winry felt it was worth it. She was the only person Ed would ever apologize to and that said something. She was the only one who could give him a hard slap with no fear of retaliation. She was the only one who could make him behave. However, that didn't mean he never pissed her off on a regular basis.

"He's a teenage boy. That's how they are. That's how all men are actually. They only grow up slightly," Granny Pinako would tell her when she vented. "He seems to behave himself better when he's with you," Granny finished with a smirk. "That means he likes you."

'He likes me!' Winry had thought in delight. She had no problem losing clients if it meant she could travel to Ed for maintenance if it encouraged him to like her more. Overnight train rides and shoddy hotels were worth it if it brought them closer.

After the Promised Day, Ed came home a war hero. There were parades and endless celebrations. She was the one at his side when people threw flowers and sang their praises. Men lauded him and women fawned over him, but Winry was the one that took him home to consummate their love. When he asked to court her, she felt triumph. She happily showed him off to their wedding guests. All her years of work paid off and she could finally have what she deserved.

"Are you sure you want this?" Granny had asked her a week before the wedding. "You've only officially courted for about three months. You're still young."

Winny dismissed her with contempt. "It's been years! You're acting like we just met. Ed loves me. This was meant to happen."

It was that mentality that kept Winry devoted to Ed even when the night terrors and mood swings were at their worst. This was what marriage was supposed to be. Ed only became more devout in exchange for Winry being the only person willing to put up with his demons and general bullshit.

Granny and other elderly women in the town warned her about the consequences of marrying a war-torn soldier. They told their own stories - of themselves and friends - about soldiers not being 'right in the head' when they returned from war. One woman, an old friend of Granny, told the tragic tale of how her cousin was beaten to death by her war veteran husband.

"You have to look for the signs! When you see them, get the hell out!" the woman pleaded.

"Ed would never do that," Winry insisted. "I'll take care of him."

The group of women looked at her skeptically. "Mm-hm," another one said, but none of them spoke further. This only motivated Winry more to prove them wrong. Winry knew how to calm her husband.

Then it all changed. Arguing back or making Ed see reason didn't work as well. Domestic life and fatherhood didn't keep the instability at bay for long. Herbal teas and home-cooked dinners kept her husband quiet only for so long. Kisses and sweet love-making only worked inside the bedroom. Ed's crippling mental health issues and increasing dependence on medicine to keep him sane made Winry feel like a joke as her peers watched in smug amusement with their arms entwined with their much better husbands and the older women looked on with pity. Rumors of Ed being demented forced Winry to resist shoving the sedatives down his throat every night. When she dared to go out in public, she would overhear the snickers and mock-sympathy of the other wives speaking of her ostracized husband.

"Poor Winry, such devotion wasted on a madman."

"If that's what it means to be the wife of a military dog, then I'm glad I picked a farmer."

"Such denial. She basically has three kids."

"An alchemist who can't use alchemy?"

"He used to be so handsome."

"Do you think he calls her 'Mommy' when they fuck?"

This was not what he had promised her on their wedding night.

The pressures of life and having to depend on his wife exacerbated the very symptoms that marriage was supposed to cure. Her love and making Ed a father, something he wanted badly, was supposed to cure Ed of his remaining guilt and depression. Winry had to work more and harder to keep their family afloat. The only way to get Ed back in his place and stop making her life miserable was through aggression.

The only people other than Winry who could get Ed to submit were those who tried to kill him. She took her cues from them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Winry awoke from her unsatisfying nap, she rolled out of bed and wearily stood up. Eyes half-open and unfocused, she walked up to the dresser to inspect herself. She grimaced at how wan and sickly she looked. Her pale skin only made the bruises on her neck stand out more. She continued to stare blankly at her reflection. There was only one other instance where she thought Ed might get physical. It was a useless fight over missing his doctor's appointments. Her quick thinking put it to a stop when she threatened to tell the doctor that Ed was a danger to his children. Ed took the following slap with a small wince and apologized.

With a curse, Winry grabbed her make up and laid down the thickest layer of foundation possible along with fresh-looking eyeshadow and mascara. Once she was satisfied that no one would notice, she changed into a clean shirt. A glance at the clock said it was three in the afternoon. She had an appointment that she had already had to reschedule twice - also because of Ed - so it wouldn't look good to cancel it again, especially since it was one of her best clients.

When she appeared in the kitchen, Granny was at the table and a glance showed Trisha playing in the living room and Maes in his high chair playing with a biscuit. When Trisha noticed her mother, she jumped up and ran into Winry's weary arms.

"Mommy!" Trisha cried. "Are you okay? Where's Daddy?"

Winry tried to give a comforting smile at Trisha's innocent question. "Daddy is with Uncle Al until he's ready to say sorry and be good."

"Uncle Al is here?" Trisha said. "When did he get here?"

"He came here while you were resting," Winry explained, forever grateful that Trisha inherited her father's gift of sleeping like the dead.

Trisha frowned. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you need to rest," Winry explained simply. She caught a glint in Granny's expression but ignored it.

"I want to see Uncle Al," Trisha pouted, then she looked back at her mother. "Is Daddy coming home soon?"

Winry sighed wearily as she petted Trisha's hair. "I don't know. Daddy hurt you and me. It's not safe for us to be with him right now."

Trisha immediately teared up. "But-but he didn't mean it. I know he's sorry! I want Daddy to come home!" She cried. Winry immediately hugged her daughter and shushed the swell of tears from her baby. She hated that Trisha was the frequent witness to her and Ed's conflict. This wasn't the example she wanted to set for her children.

"We'll see, Trisha," Winry said gently. She didn't want to make any false promises. She could only hold Trisha tighter and remain strong. "It'll be fine, baby. Mommy will fix this." Trisha continued to whimper and Winry continued to comfort her. With Trisha calmed, she sought out Maes. She would feed him before heading out. Despite all her stress and resentment towards Ed, she was still a mother.

"Why are you up?" Granny asked as Winry prepared Maes' food. "I told you I'd watch the kids…"

Winry glanced at the kitchen clock. "I have an appointment at 4:30. I've already canceled it a bunch so I have to go this time."

"Win, your health is-"

"I've already lost way too many clients because of that jackass!" Winry said, hiding her exhaustion with anger. "I can't drop every little thing just because he throws a tantrum. I still have kids to feed." To emphasize her point, Winry smacked down the bowl of rice cereal on the tray of Maes' high chair. Maes jumped a little, but calmed when he saw Winry pick up the spoon. Winry kissed the baby's head - she hadn't meant to startle him.

"We'd have been homeless months ago without me working these damn long hours," Winry sneered while Maes ate.

"Winry," Granny sighed. "Don't put yourself through this. Look, I can take this client. Is it Mr. Clayton? That's a simple job. Anything to keep you still."

Winry shook her head. "No, it's the grocer's son, Max. He has a specific model that I created so you wouldn't be able to help anyway. It's the most expensive automail and he's been having issues for weeks so I can't risk him going to another mechanic because my husband is a jerk."

"Ah, I see…" Granny said, but remained perturbed. "Is it a long session?"

"It shouldn't be," Winry said as she scraped wayward cereal from Maes' chin. "I could use the change of scenery. I'll be back by dinner."

Granny didn't respond, instead she sat back in her chair, fiddling with her pipe and watching Winry closely. Winry stiffened. She knew that look. It meant Granny was about to say something that she knew would upset her granddaughter. Winry gritted her teeth and waited.

"Winry...you need to leave Ed…" Granny said as gently as possible. Winry was not surprised. "This...can't keep going on. The two of you just don't work together. There's nothing wrong with divorce."

"There is a fuck wrong with divorce," Winry snapped. "If I leave him, he'll just go back to playing the vigilante crime fighter. I know his dog friends will let him do what he wants because they're too much of a pussy to call him out on his crap. He needs to grow up and face the facts. He's not a hotshot anymore and the sooner he gets that the better. No one else has the guts to tell him that but me."

"It's not your problem to make him grow up," Granny said sternly.

"He made it my problem when he got me pregnant twice," Winry sneered. "He makes it my problem when he comes home late and pretending he's still an alchemist. If I have to knock him over the head, then so be it. It's the only thing that works."

"Why did you marry him, Winry?"

Winry was prepared for a comeback, not that question. "Because we've been through so much together?" It sounded like the better answer. 'He fucking owes me' didn't sound as romantic.

"Is that it?" Granny said with her eyes narrowed.

"Why else would I marry him?" Winry asked. Maes finished his food so she went to fix him a bottle to finish off his meal.

Granny didn't answer, she just slumped into her chair. "Fine...don't stay at the shop past the appointment. Come home."

"Yeah, yeah..." Winry waved her grandmother off and went about preparing to leave for work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Later at the shop, Winry set up her tools as she waited for Max. She couldn't help but feel excited for his arrival. His appointments were one of the few positive things in Winry's life. The handsome soldier made Winry feel relaxed and happy. A man who was actually well-bred and put together was a nice change.

A married woman shouldn't have a crush on another man or have an affair with one. However, Winry felt she should get a pass as Max showed her that not all men were needy disappointments. Max was one of the other village children who left Risembool after high school for better opportunities in the capital. After serving several tours in the military, he returned around the same time as Ed and Al did. Unlike the brothers though, he had barely a scratch. He spoke to Winry of his struggle assimilating back to civilian life and with the chronic pain of old injuries, but he did it with dignity and self-accountability.

The bell from the shop door announced Max's arrival. Winry turned around and he met her with a big smile. "Hello, Winry."

"Max!" Winry beamed. "How are you? I'm so glad you haven't given up on me."

Max sat down in the maintenance chair. "I'd never give up on you. You're the best mechanic around here."

"I always do my best for my clients," Winry grinned, swelling with pride. Winry hoped her blush wasn't too noticeable.

Max used to be a scrawny little boy that was poked fun at a lot by the other kids, including Ed. He blossomed into a handsome young soldier. Tall with dark brown hair and eyes, an adorable little dimple when he smiled, perfect straight teeth and perfect olive skin. Max was the stuff of fairytale princes. Winry was convinced he was there to console her in such stressful times.

Max leaned over to give her a short kiss. "You are a blessing, Ms. Rockbell." Winry didn't miss how Max refused to call her by her marital name. She preferred it that way.

When Max pulled back, his expression changed to serious. "I heard there was a fight with you and your husband and that he's in jail."

Winry felt her heart sink to her stomach. "What? How did you hear about that?"

"Everyone's talking about it," Max explained. "Apparently, a neighbor heard Ed attack you and called the police. They were telling everyone within hearing distance. You know how it is in a small town like this."

Winry covered her face with her hand, completely mortified. "Oh, god! Like I needed this!"

Max placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "The town thinks Ed is a maniac." His frown deepened. "But you and I already knew that."

Winry looked at him between her fingers. Yes, she vented to Max about her relationship issues. How it stressed her out and made life miserable. It just felt nice to have someone sympathize and not make jokes or tell her what to do. Max was kind and compassionate. When they were alone in the shop, he made Winry feel appreciated and beautiful.

Winry's hand dropped from her face when Max cupped her chin with his own hands. The chill of his automail hand reminded her of Ed, but she pushed the thought aside when he spoke with utmost concern.

"Winry..." Max's brown eyes pleaded with her. "You need to let him go. Take the kids and leave."

"And be even more of a joke?" Winry rolled her eyes.

"Ignore those women," Max urged her. "They'll never compare to you. They're jealous."

Max pulled her into a deep passionate kiss. Winry's arms went limp at her sides as she just let Max overwhelm her with his devotion. All her stress and anger melted right onto the floor when he pulled her into his arms. She clung to his loose shirt and tilted her head back to let him have his way.

The first time Winry and Max were together, it was after a nasty fight with Ed that ended with him being thrown out of the house and Winry locking the door behind him. It was yet another instance where he meekly told her he couldn't find another job. His last gig didn't make as much as he had originally told her and he hadn't gotten along with the employer so finding out she would have to work overtime for the rest of the month to make up the difference and that he wouldn't go back to that job made her snap. She threw anything not bolted to the floor at him. Ed cursed and begged her to forgive him and insisted he was trying his best, but she didn't believe him. If he was really sorry, he would get his shit together. If Ed was really- _really_ sorry, he stop making Winry beat some sense into him.

When she told this to Max, he regarded Ed with well-earned disgust. "I thought he was the best alchemist ever? He should be able to get a real job."

"You'd think that!" Winry had sobbed. She was taken by surprise when Max looked at her with complete adoration. His deep gaze left her breathless and she eagerly awaited what he would say next. Max gave her the most passionate and fierce kiss she had ever experienced and she let him seduce her on the shop counter. It was salvation.

Coming back to the present, she nicely instructed Max to get into the proper position. Winry checked the clock to make sure she would still have enough time to do his maintenance and get home on time. When she confirmed that she would, she went to work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Winry made her way home feeling much better. Max kept her positive with funny stories while she adjusted his automail. She was disappointed, as always, when he finally had to leave. She could've stayed there all night or gone home with him, which she would had she not promised to be home. Her resolve cracked a little when Max gave her one final kiss and a plea.

"You can come home with me. I might move to Central in the next few months for work. Divorce that idiot and bring the children. You'll be safe and happy, I promise."

Winry repeated his words as she made her way home. She absently touched her bruise underneath her collar. Thank god, she took her time with the makeup and laid it thick or Max would've lost it. While she liked the idea of a knight in shining armor, now was not the time to give Ed any fuel. If Max noticed something was off, he didn't say anything - or maybe that's why he bit the bullet and outright offered her a way out.

Winry wished someone had told her that alchemists weren't very useful without their alchemy. She was convinced had Ed not given up his alchemy, they would have a better life. Winry didn't know much about the Gate, but she had assumed someone as determined and 'smart' as Ed would figure out how to get Al's body back without giving up the one thing that made him notable. While she was happy her kids got to have an uncle, she still sometimes wished Ed had found another way or had a backup career plan.

Al had once complained to Winry that Ed would allow himself to be consumed by his guilt to the point of almost being catatonic and there was nothing to do except wait until he came out of it. Winry didn't want to believe him until it actually happened. Ed would fall into these fits where he would hide somewhere and stare blankly into the distance. He would get up in the middle of the night and wouldn't appear until very early morning to get Trisha ready for school. The only one who could get him out of these states was their daughter. Hearing 'Daddy!' instantly cured Ed and he placed his sole focus on Trisha and Maes and shoved past Winry. He never responded to 'honey' or 'dear.' Not even his own name got a reaction. It was always 'Daddy.' Winry shouldn't feel jealous of her own daughter, but knowing that Trisha wasn't the one dragging Ed to the doctor made Winry feel taken for granted.

Max was clearly the better choice. She just had to figure out how to get the burden out of her house without too much fallout.

Winry reached the front door of her house and paused when she heard voices. She immediately recognized Granny, but her grandmother sounded tense and was clearly in the middle of saying something harsh as there was a pause before the other voices started and Winry recognized Al and then Ed's voice behind that.

"That son of a bitch…" Winry sneered. She should've known better. When Al was around, Ed grew bolder. She announced herself by throwing the door open as hard as she could. It got the desired effect as the voices went dead silent.

She crossed her arms to give a sense of superiority when she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen where all the Rockbell-Elric drama liked to convene.

Granny, Al and Ed all stared at her in silence. She remained cold and took in the sight before her.

Granny was standing by the table, looking like she had gotten out of her chair in a fit of agitation. She was gripping the edge and her fist was raised. Al stood between her and Ed with every muscle coiled when he saw Winry enter. He gave Winry a hard glance that she returned without shame, but Al remained silent as if she would make the first move. Typical Al. While Ed would rush forward into a fight, Al held back to calculate his opponent's weaknesses as he now looked for hers. Winry didn't budge, she met his gaze without blinking before finally turning to her husband, who hid behind his brother. Of course Ed went sniveling back to his baby brother for protection. She knew that Ed weaved some sob story that his baby brother fell for so now he regarded her as the enemy. So be it.

Winry felt a surge of anger when she saw what Ed had in his arms. Trisha was clinging to her father with her face buried into his neck. Ed was clinging harder and squeezed her closer when he saw Winry. He laced his hands through Trisha's hair and held her in place so she wouldn't see what was about to happen. He held his daughter to his chest like some sort of shield against his wife's wrath. Winry openly scoffed. This was further proof that Ed was so pathetic that he selfishly used his daughter as protect himself from his own wife. Hero of the People indeed.

Trisha shuffled to look at her mother. "Mommy?" she said timidly. "Daddy's sorry now."

Look at six-year old Trisha playing peace ambassador for her parents. "Trisha," Winry kept her voice calm and as gentle as possible. "Go to your room with Maes and stay there…"

Trisha looked between Ed and Winry. "But...Daddy said-"

"I said go to your room, Trisha," Winry's stern voice cut through the tense silence.

"Don't yell at her!" Ed protested.

"Trisha, come with me," Granny said grimly as Ed allowed her to take Trisha away. "Your parents need to talk."

For a moment, Trisha looked like she was ready to protest, but the expressions on her parents' faces kept her quiet and she defeatedly followed Granny upstairs, only stopping when Granny moved to pick Maes up from his pen to take them both as far away as possible.

Winry, Ed and Al quietly waited until all was clear before Winry broke the silence with a cold voice. "I thought it was very clear that if you came near this house you'd go to jail."

Ed just looked at the floor and shrunk further behind Al. "I...I came to get some things...I thought it'd be fine if Al and Granny were here and I wanted to say goodbye to the ki-"

"A restraining order," Winry recited condescendingly. "Is an order used by a court to protect a person, business, company, establishment, or entity, and the general public, in a situation involving alleged domestic violence." She stepped forward. Ed looked away. "If you break the order, Edward Elric, you'll go to jail and then you really won't see your kids again. However, you probably never bothered to read your copy, did you?"

Ed hesitated. "I-"

"The answer is 'no,' asshole!" Winry snapped. "Or do you think you're above the law? That wouldn't surprise me. You think Daddy Mustang will bail you out."

"Winry!" Al exclaimed in disbelief. "This is ridiculous. You two have a family! This-this fighting and police and courts - it doesn't have to be this way!"

Winry was unmoved. "No, it doesn't. I did my best to make sure it wouldn't be this way." She pointed to Ed. "But Ed doesn't agree with me."

Al glared between Ed and Winry and then back to Ed before throwing his arms up in the air. "You are both the most selfish, immature, _ridiculous idiots_ I've ever known! If it's not me, it's a damn baby keeping you two under control!" Al looked at Winry "I'm taking Ed to Central. Some time apart would be good for both of you. We're leaving!" Al picked up one of two suitcases Winry just noticed on the floor. "Ed! Come!"

Ed looked at Winry, eyes begging her for something. Forgiveness? Don't take his kids away? Her anger dulled and was replaced by a cold need to punish Ed and expose him for what he was so Al wouldn't suffer like she did.

"Are you sure you want to take him in, Al?" she asked smoothly. "I almost want you to."

Al froze on his way to the front door. He didn't respond, but stared at her in confusion mixed with frustration.

Winry was doing him a favor. She casually walked closer to look him straight in the eye. "His prescription needs to be renewed. You'll have to stop by the doctor's to get a new prescription order and do you have an extra 50 cens? Sometimes the price fluctuates." Winry remained casual. She glanced over at Ed. His face was ghost white.

"The fuck are you-" Al started and trailed off when he noticed Ed staring at Winry in horror.

"Ed was diagnosed with shell shock, he needs his meds to function," Winry explained lightly. "It's the only way he can work. Otherwise, you'll end up caring for a vegetable who can barely remember what day it is."

"Winry! Don't tell him that!" Ed protested. Winry ignored him. Al needed to know the truth.

"While you were out on vacation in Xing with Mei, I was stuck here taking care of what was supposed to be the greatest alchemist that ever existed!" Winry yelled. "He's done nothing but make my life and my kids' life miserable!" Winry glared back at Ed. "He's-he's a complete mess! I can't make it simpler!"

"What?" Al breathed.

"Don't listen to her!" Ed barked, looking at her with anger this time.

"Why shouldn't he listen?" Winry demanded. "Al, did your brother tell you how many hours I had to work for the past two months because Trisha needed new clothes for school? All he contributed was enough money to fix the damn plumbing in the kitchen that had to be fixed for weeks, but because our baby couldn't go to school fucking naked we had to put it off! Did he mention how I had to pay all of our bills for the entire summer last year because he couldn't make enough at his then-job?" She sneered. "He sure as hell won't make enough as the entire town knows about what happened."

Ed's eyes went wide in absolute horror. "The town knows?"

"Oh, they know," Winry said with a sneer. "They know you're crazy and this just proves it. No sane human being would want anything to do with you! You can't survive unless me or Al is watching you."

Winry returned to Al. "You sure you want to deal with that? I don't think Mei would be happy." Contempt dripped from every word.

"Winry, I did the best I could!" Ed yelled before Al could respond. He stepped in front of her. Memories from the last time Ed was that close made Winry step back a little but she remained steadfast. "You knew that! You said it was okay and that you knew it wasn't my fault!"

"I lied because maybe trying to be supportive would work," Winry said dryly. "But that was before the furnace broke."

They were interrupted when they heard Granny and the children come down the stairs. Winry's resentment waned when she saw Trisha looking absolutely terrified. Maes was silent in Granny's arms, looking just as alarmed.

Granny didn't hesitate. "I'm taking the kids to my place." Her tone dared anyone to stop her.

Al nodded and stepped out of the way. "Go. Now." He turned to stare at Winry and Ed, ready to intervene if they tried to stop Granny. Granny nodded and gripped Trtrisha's hand as she almost ran out of the house. The door slammed behind her and they were gone.

When they were well out of firing range, Al turned to his brother and sister-in-law. "I can't believe the two of you," Al said through gritted teeth. "Can't you see how you're hurting your kids?!"

Winry did see. She always saw what her mess of a marriage did to her children. In the dense resentment towards her husband, Winry caught glimpses of her children's pain and felt deep guilt when she wasn't working.

"You're right…" she whispered, which seemed to surprise Al. As much as she hated Ed right now, she still loved her children. "They deserve better than that. Ed leaving is probably the healthier choice for them." She pointed at Ed and then looked back at Al. "So is this something you really want to put up with? Because that's what'll happen if you adopt him like one of your cats."

"You fucking bitch!" Ed shrieked, finally hitting his limit. Al immediately moved between them while Winry stepped back, poised and ready. "I'm not a total invalid!"

Ed tried to continue, his voice cut off and after a grimace he was able to get his thoughts together. "I don't know what to do with you! Have I ever done anything right with you? I'm trying, Winry. I'm really trying, but you just want to hate me as much as possible."

"And you just want to wallow in your own pity as much as possible!" Winry fired back, tough her voice cracked. "I tried to help you! I've sacrificed so much for you and you made me think everything was great. It was all bullshit. If I knew you were like this, I would've said no!"

"What made you think I'd come home scotch-free after what I've been through!?" Ed choked. "I hate the night terrors, the medicine - I hate not being able to support my own kids! I hate that the thought of coming home gives me a damn panic attack because everything you say is right and I hate it!"

Al looked to his brother. "Ed...no, that's not…" he sounded desperate.

Ed just shook his head. "Everything she said is the truth. I see a doctor, I black out sometimes - I have nightmares and she's shoving pill after pill in me just to keep me somewhat sane. I don't want to take them because that means I'm useless, but it's the only way I'll get better."

"And you are…"

"Shut the fuck up, Winry!" Al snapped. "No one's making you stay. By all means, get a divorce. It's the smartest thing either of you could do right now!"

"Even if you're right, Winry," Ed continued determinedly as if Al hadn't spoken. "The way you talk to me is wrong. I can't get better if all you do is just rip me apart just because you're upset about something. I wonder if you don't want me to get better because that means not having a reason to use your wrench."

Right now, Al was standing right in between them like old times. He kept looking between them. Hurt, frustration, and exhaustion played across his expression as he appeared to contemplate just running.

"Let me give you a taste of your own medicine," Ed hissed from behind his brother, looking unusually cruel. "Al, did she tell you about the time she threw boiling water at me? Because that's what she did because I came home just thirty minutes late. Nevermind that it was raining and I had to walk home! I was late so I needed to be punished."

"I had to cancel an appointment because of that!" Winry spat.

"I woke up and went outside because of the nightmares and insomnia. I went so Winry could get some sleep," Ed recalled some random memory that Winry only vaguely remembered. "I came back to help with the kids and she still slapped me because I didn't tell her where I went - I was standing outside my own house!"

"Asshole…" Winry whispered.

"I didn't take my meds because I knew they were expensive," Ed's anger was mixed with despair. "I wanted to make them last until I could buy them myself, because I got sick of hearing you complain about how expensive they were. I didn't go to the doctor because I wanted to pay for the visits myself, but when I tried you made me give the money to you!"

"Because you don't know how to manage money!" Winry could feel her throat getting sore from the stress and yelling. "You would've bought the first damn drug he offered and not think about the price! I had to make sure you didn't cost us the water bill!"

"Did she tell you about Max?"

WInry froze. How the hell did he know Max's name? "You-"

Ed just looked at her with total spite. "He's this hotshot soldier that all the women drool over. She's been with him for months now."

"He's a way better option than you ever were!" Winry hissed.

They both paused when Al visibly slumped with a groan and then stormed towards the door.

"Al?" Ed called nervously.

Al spun on his heel to glare at them with pure disgust. "The two of you are...just horrible. Go ahead and kill each other if that's the only way you'll find peace!" He stopped to turn to Ed. "Brother, if you make it back to the hotel, we'll go to Central." And then he was gone.

They were alone.

The adrenaline died between them. Winry felt exhausted and blearily looked at her soon to be ex-husband. Ed had no expression, just looking at the door - silent and alone in the hallway. She slowly and carefully walked back to the kitchen. She didn't feel like caring anymore. She just wanted him gone.

Winry watched Ed from the kitchen. He remained stone-still looking beyond the door and into whatever reality that only existed inside his own mind. It even looked like he forgot she was there as he didn't move when she took a rough deep breath and gave him her ultimatum.

"Leave… go head. This was all a mistake. I've suffered enough." Every word she spoke was deliberate. Her words hung in the air. She said nothing further and let them sink in. Seconds felt like hours as she awaited Ed's answer. She watched him continue to just stand there and stare into nothing.

Ed finally moved. He turned and walked towards her with a scowl. She got out of the way in time when Ed stormed into the small kitchen to fetch the long-forgotten remaining suitcase. Once in his hands, he moved to follow Granny and Al into the night. She looked at him in shock as he reached the door. He yanked it open and then froze.

Ed peered over his shoulder at her with a sharp gleam she never thought she would see again.

"I'm coming back for my children," he said in a low voice and then left.

When she heard his footsteps disappear, Winry collapsed in a chair and just sobbed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * JSTH * * * * * * * * * * * *

Just something that happens ch. 3

This chapter was very difficult to write as I wanted to write it from Winry's perspective. I wanted to understand just why and how things got this bad. I can only hope I pulled it off.

I decided to post this after the holidays because the last thing I want is to ruin everyone's holiday cheer. :P

Thank you to everyone who read this and to those that left a comment. It means a lot to me.

EB


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